My Birth
by Vickychan
Summary: a mysterious girl stands on a cliff watching as her father is killed by a teenage swordsman. Why has she never seen him until now? Just what happened five years ago..?
1. He was your Father

Finally, Trunks finished Kold. Now they were both gone. The changeling race was extinct. Well, that's what he and his audience thought, at least. Nobody knew that Kold had two sons. Nobody knew that Coola was still alive.   
But it didn't stop at Coola....

~

About a mile away from the overwhelmed crowd, a woman stood on a cliff, looking ahead. A small girl stood at her side, also looking ahead. They'd seen the whole thing. Just stood and watched it in silence. All the time, their faces had been expressionless, and they hadn't move an inch. The woman looked down at the girl, and finally spoke. "He was your father." she told her.  
"I know." the girl replied. "Why else would you not try to take me away from such a sight?" she stood in silence for a few more seconds, and spoke again. "He was not a human." "After all that I've taught you, are you saying that races matter?" the woman asked. The girl, still not raising her head to look at her mother, shook her head.  
"No. It doesn't matter."

The woman crouched down, and her daughter turned her head to look her in the eye, awaiting her question.  
"Now, you shall never meet your father. What do you feel now? And what will you do?" her mother asked.  
"I know no word to describe exactly what I'm feeling. But I won't do anything but wait. You are wrong, mother. I will meet him someday. We both will." the child replied.  
"You are wise." her mother said. "Come, let's go." with that, she rose up, and took her child's hand. The two of them walked away from the scene. 


	2. Losing Faith

"Lavender! Are you up? You'll be late for school!" a voice called from downstairs. Lavender sat on a chair in front of her dresser, looking at the mirror that was on the dresser. She brushed her short, lavender hair as she replied:   
"I'm coming, mother!"  
Lavender was fifteen. Her mother, Mizu Kinoba was a human. But Lavender was only half of her mother's race. Her father had been... what was it called again...? Oh yeah. A changeling. But she didn't know much about him. Mizu only spoke of him if Lavender asked a question - which Lavender had stopped doing because her father was spoken of so rarely. She never really thought of him much now. In fact, she never really had. And she'd never met him in person. She'd only seen him once. Ten years ago. Where her and her mother hand been standing on that cliff and watched as something which had looked like a robot to Lavender was sliced to pieces by a young swordsman.  
"Lavender!"  
"Coming!" 

Lavender stood up; picked up her backpack; and ran downstairs. Mizu was in the kitchen, placing two plates of pancakes on the table. Lavender put down her bag, and sat at the table. Mizu clasped her hands together. Seeing this, Lavender did too. She listened to her mother's words.  
"Dear Lord, please make us grateful for this food we are about to receive, and guide us through the day. Amen."  
"Amen." Lavender repeated. They started eating. Lavender never really understood why it was the custom in her house to pray before every meal. Neither of them went to church. Mizu said it was because church would bore her and make her want to lose faith, but by praying at home she still worshiped God. She wore a silver necklace with a cross on it, too. Lavender wore a similar necklace, except her cross was smaller.  
Mizu looked at her daughter.   
"Tonight, I'll teach you how to cast some harder spells." she told her.   
"Spells?" Lavender groaned. "Can you teach me how to use a sword?"  
"Okay." Mizu shrugged. Mizu was a black mage, as well as a black belt at kung fu and a swordswoman. She taught Lavender everything she knew. Lavender usually enjoyed learning how to use her black mage powers, but she'd become eager to work with swords ever since Mizu had told her that she was skilled enough to.

Lavender finished the last of her breakfast, and stood up.  
"Bye, mom." she smiled, and picked up her bag.  
"Have a nice day!" Mizu waved her off. Lavender left the house, and headed for school.   
Mizu got up, and carried the empty plates over to the sink. She started to wash them. 

~~~

"Hey, Lavender!" a human girl waved. Lavender waved back as she approached the girl.   
"Mia." she greeted her. They were in the class room.  
"Oh no... today we're getting the results from that science test..." Mia mumbled, a worried expression on her face.  
"Don't worry. You revised so much. You'll do fine." Lavender assured her.  
"I don't know..."

~~~

Mizu turned on the TV, and sat down. She looked at the mantlepiece. There were two photos on it. One, of her holding a seven - year - old Lavender. The other... that was Frieza. The only picture she had of him. She smiled. He was so handsome. Lavender was a beautiful girl, too. But she hardly looked anything like either of her parents. She had her mother's fair skin colour, but her green eyes were ones she'd inherited from her father's mother - as Mizu remembered Frieza saying once that his mother had green eyes. And Lavender's hair... Mizu didn't know where that came from. Maybe part of Frieza's family? Or maybe it was Mizu's father. She was so young when he died she didn't remember what he looked like.  
Lavender looked like a human, though. But she was as strong as a changeling. Maybe in her second form she'd look like a changeling? Mizu often wondered what her daughter would look like if she transformed, but daren't try to encourage her to do so. She feared that if Lavender was in a stronger form she'd....  
Mizu's trial of thought was interrupted by what sounded like footsteps. She turned the TV down, and listened. Nothing.  
"Hm." she mumbled, and turned the TV back up. 

Mizu sat, watching it.   
"Frieza's mate." a cold voice said. Mizu gasped, and leapt off the couch. She stared at the figure. A man she recognized, although she didn't know the name of his race.  
"Mokoto!"  
"I bet you're surprised to see me, eh?" Mokoto smirked.  
"You swore you would never come near us again!" Mizu protested.  
"Us" ?" Mokoto looked at her. "I hear Frieza is dead. Does this mean you have a child?" he asked.  
"No." Mizu shook her head convincingly. "I meant Frieza and I. You made the promise to us."  
"Really?" Mokoto didn't believe her. He approached the mantlepiece, and picked up the picture of Mizu and Lavender. He pointed to the girl.  
"So who's this?"  
"A child I used to know. But she moved away some time ago. I was friends with her parent-"  
"BULLSHIT!" Mokoto roared. He advanced towards her. "Where is that girl?!"  
"I'll never tell you!" Mizu argued. "You have nothing to fear anyway! She's not the Black Hope! She isn't strong enough, and I won't let her become it!"  
"I can't take that chance." Mokoto hissed. "Now tell me, or I will have to kill you."  
"Never!" Mizu waved her arms. Mokoto gasped as she set him on fire.  
"Hey!" he cried out. He glared at her. "You - - "

~~~

It was the end of school. Lavender could see her house up ahead. She started to run faster. She finally got there, and burst through the door.   
"Mom! Guess what! I got a B+ on my science test!" she beamed. Lavender looked around. "Mom?" She entered the living room, and screamed.

~~~

"Did your mother have any enemies at all?" the policewoman asked. Lavender, sitting in a chair at the police station, shook her head.   
"She got along with everybody."  
"Who's this?" the policewoman asked, holding up the second photo. Lavender raised her head and looked at it.  
"That's my dad. He died ten years ago." she lowered her head again.  
"Well... thanks for your help. You'll have to write a statement, but that can be done tomorrow." the policewoman looked at her. "Do you have anyone you could stay with? A friend?"   
"Um... yeah. Mia Green."   
"I'll give her a call. What's her number?"  
"It's..." Lavender told her Mia's number. The policewoman nodded.  
"Alright. Wait here." she left.

Lavender thought about what had just happened. It had been so easy when she was a child. So easy to think they'd see each other again someday. So easy to stand and watch, expressionless. But now, she didn't believe any of that. She'd lost more and more faith as she'd grown older. It wasn't because she hated God. She just wasn't the sort of person that believed in it much. She realized that even more now. If she believed like her mother did, she wouldn't think she would never see her again.  
Lavender sighed, and buried her face in her hands. She started to cry.  
"Mother... why...?"


	3. How do you know Them?

Lavender gazed up at the school building. She hadn't been there for a week now. What would people say? Surely everyone must know by now. All eyes would be on her...  
"Hey," Mia put her hand on Lavender's shoulder. "You'll be alright."  
"...." Lavender took one last look at the school, and nodded. "Yeah. You're right." she looked at Mia. "Let's go in."

~~~

The class could be heard from a few doors down the long corridor. Mia and Lavender walked along, not bothered by the noise. It always sounded like this.   
They came to the classroom door. They could even heard a few conversations from here. All usual stuff. Mia opened the door. They stepped inside. A few heads turned to see who'd entered. And when they saw who it was, they alerted their friends. In just a few seconds, the roar of voices fell to silence. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Lavender's face burned when she saw everybody's eyes on her. That wasn't the worst part, though. The worst part was the silence. It was so out of character. And it was all because of her. Everyone knew what had happened. 

Mia took Lavender's arm, and urged her to ignore the eyes. The two of them walked over to their seats, and sat down as if nothing had happened. Mia looked at the girl in the seat behind her. Sandra. She started talking casually to her to break the silence. This made a few other mouths work, and pretty soon they were all talking again. Some gave Lavender the occasional glance, but that was all. Lavender breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Mia. "Thanks." she said. Mia smiled back. Sandra spoke to Lavender, getting her involved in the conversation. Lavender started talking to them, glad that things were at least normal in school.

The door opened again. Lavender turned her head to see who it was. Trunks Briefs.   
"Look who's here." Mia smirked, eyeing Lavender.  
"Big deal." Lavender mumbled.   
"Come on, I know he IS a big deal to you." Mia replied. "Who don't you just say hi to him?"  
"Just "hi" ? Wow, that's cool." Lavender said.  
"Well it's better than just sitting and waiting. He's not gonna notice you unless you make him."  
"I know..."  
Mia sighed.  
"Fine. Be cool about it."  
"Hey, wait, he's looking this way." Sandra said. 

The three girls looked at him. Trunks noticed them. He saw Lavender, and seemed to pause.  
"Maybe he'll say something about..." Mia mumbled. Lavender looked away.   
"Why else would he notice me?" she thought silently to herself.  
Trunks seemed a little nervous. Should he go over? It wasn't like they were friends or anything.   
_"Well, decide on something! They're looking at you!"_  
Trunks decided to go over.

"Er..." he didn't know what to say when he saw them. Trunks looked at Lavender, who stared back.  
"Hey... sorry to hear about your mom..." Trunks said.  
"Yeah...." Lavender looked at the ground. "... Thanks, Trunks."  
"She was your only parent, right?"  
"Yeah. I never knew my dad." Lavender told him.  
"I didn't think so." Trunks looked at her. Who was her father, anyway? Nobody seemed to know. Maybe he should ask. Well, what harm could it do?  
"Um... who was he, anyway?"  
"My dad...?" Lavender thought. "He name was... oh yeah, that's right. He was called -"  
"Alright, class!" Miss Field clapped her hands to silence them as she entered the room.  
"Trunks, sit down."  
"Yes miss." Trunks mumbled, walking over to his seat. Lavender watched him leave her. She sighed.

~~~

"Hey, we're having a substitute teacher in math today, aren't we?" Mia asked as she and Lavender headed for their next class.   
"Oh yeah..." Lavender mumbled. "That's right. But sir didn't say who we'd have."  
They entered the room. The teacher wasn't there yet, so as more students came in the noise level grew.   
"Trunks really surprised me this morning when he came over." Mia said.  
"Yeah, he surprised me too. We've never even talked before..." Lavender replied. It was after one o' clock now. Trunks wasn't in her math class, and she hadn't spoken to him since registration.

The door opened. In walked a man nobody in the room recognized.  
"Must be a new teacher." Mia stated.  
"Good afternoon, class." the man greeted them. He was clearly trying to be friendly, but his voice still sounded cold to Lavender. Mia picked up on this, too.  
"He's creepy." she whispered. Lavender nodded in agreement.  
"My name is Mr. Ner," the man went on to introduce himself. He smirked. "As in sinner." This was meant to be a joke, but no - one laughed. Well, so much for making up a surname. He should've just said his first and only name.  
"Now... let me see who's here..." Mr. Ner muttered to himself, picking up the register.

He started to tick off the name of each student as they answered him.  
"Sandra Green."  
"Here."  
"Jo Peters."  
"Here."  
"Mia Chestnut."  
"Here sir." Mia replied.  
"Lav -" Mr. Ner stopped when he saw what was written on the register. "Lavender Kinoba..." he read out with a small, creepy smile.  
"Here..." Lavender said quietly, kinda freaked out by his attitude.  
"Zech Kain?"  
"Here."

Mr. Ner read out the rest of the register, and then read the piece of paper the class' math teacher had left for him.  
"Right... page eighty seven, questions one to thirty. Algebra. Do you all understand that?"  
"Yes sir..." a few voices answered.  
"Good. Then carry on in silence." Mr. Ner ordered. With that, he sat down.   
While the class took their books out and got on with their work, he pulled something out of his coat pocket. Lavender raised her head from her work, and looked at the thing in his hand. A photo? Mr. Ner stared at it. Lavender could just about see what it was a photo of. She gasped silently. That was the photo of her and her mother that had been taken from the mantlepiece! How did he get that?!

Mr. Ner turned his head towards her, and she instantly lowered her head to continue working. She hoped he hadn't seen her. But, he had. He smirked, and looked back at the girl in the photo. He then looked back at Lavender, who could feel his eyes on her. She became tense.   
_"Go away... please.... stop looking at me, you creep!"_  
Mr. Ner smiled, another cold smile. Yes. She was the girl in the photo. Frieza's child. But she seemed so innocent. Maybe Mizu hadn't told her... or maybe she really wasn't "it".  
He closed his eyes, and tried to sense her. Yes. The power to become that creature was definitely there. She was what he thought she was. But she was weak now. She didn't have the power to become it. But Mr. Ner knew she'd have the power to transform. And if she transformed, she'd become it. He couldn't let that happen.

"Miss Kinoba." he said. Lavender gasped, and raised her head. Mr. Ner smirked.  
"Don't look so worried, I won't hurt you."  
"..... Yes sir?" Lavender asked.  
"I want to see you after school."  
"But why?" Lavender protested. To make it look like a real detention, Mr Ner said:  
"I think you know why."  
"But I -"  
"Thank you."

Lavender looked around. A few people with surprised expressions on their faces were looking at her, wondering what she'd done. Lavender gave them innocent looks, wondering the same thing as them.  
"Get on with you work, Kinoba." Mr. Ner ordered, seeing her turning around. He looked at the rest of the class.  
"That goes for all of you, too."  
The students got back to their work.

~~~

Lavender watched as Mr. Ner waved off the last of the class. Too bad this lesson was at the end of the day. If not, she wouldn't have turned up for this detention. It wasn't that she skipped them, though. She hardly got into them, but she turned up when she had to - and when there was a reason.   
Mr. Ner closed the door, and turned around to look at her.  
"By the way, Mr. Ner was just a name I made up. My real name is Mokoto." he said. Mokoto? Lavender didn't recognize it.  
"Why am I in this detention, sir?" she asked.  
"To pay for a crime your parents committed." Mokoto told her.  
"How do you know my parents?" Lavender demanded. "And how did you get that picture? I saw you with it in class!"  
"I know you did." Mokoto said.

He pulled the picture out of his pocket, and handed it to her.  
"You can have it back now if you like. It's served its purpose." he offered.  
"Purpose?" Lavender took the picture and put it away. "WHAT are you talking about?"  
"I needed it to track you down."  
"What do you want me for?" Lavender asked.  
"That doesn't matter. Your mother clearly never told you." Mokoto told her.  
"Told me what?!" Lavender stood up, impatient. "You're not making any sense!"  
"Really? Well, coming from someone who doesn't even know about her own birth, that's quite a thing to say." Mokoto smirked.  
"Tell me about my birth." Lavender ordered.  
"I really don't have the time. Let's make this quick, shall we?" Mokoto walked towards her.

Lavender got out from behind her desk.   
"W - What?" she became a little afraid of him. She backed away as he made his way towards her.  
"Mokoto... what are you doing?"  
"Something I've been waiting fifteen years to do." Mokoto hissed. "Your mother tried to protect you. Too bad she was weaker than I."  
"No..." Lavender stopped, and shook her head. "It can't be..." she glared at him. "It was you! You were the one that killed her!!"  
"Guilty as charged." Mokoto said. He laughed.  
"You - you BASTARD!!" Lavender swung her fist at him.  
"Ah - ah - ah." Mokoto caught her fist centimeters away from his face. "I'll be doing the fighting if you don't mind." he squeezed her fist. "It's time for you to join your mother.... or father."  
"How do you know him?! And what do you mean "mother or father"?! What did my dad do?!" 

Mokoto sighed.  
"Lavender... poor, innocent Lavender... she's told you nothing, has she? She hasn't even mentioned me. Did she even talk about your father?"  
"I never asked..." Lavender looked at him. "So are you going to explain what you're talking about? How do you know my parents?"  
"Ask them yourself." Mokoto said. He punched her in the stomach. Lavender cried out, and fell to the floor, gasping for breath.  
"Y - You..."  
"You'll never kill me." Mokoto snarled.   
"What?!" Lavender dodged a second attack, and got onto her feet.  
"I don't want to kill you!" she protested.  
"I won't take the risk!" Mokoto launched another attack, which Lavender blocked. Mokoto smirked.  
"I see she's been training you."

He put his hand inside his coat.  
"Good thing I carry this around then, isn't it?" he pulled a knife out. Lavender gasped.  
"Are you crazy?!"  
"Believe me, I'm not as messed up as you." Mokoto swung the knife at her. Lavender jumped out of the way, onto a desk. She gulped. She'd never attacked anyone before, but she knew she had to. Okay, time to put all that training into practice. Lavender cast a spell, setting him ablaze.  
"Aw, shit!" Mokoto cried angrily. He pulled off his coat and threw it across the room, not caring where it landed. It landed on a (wooden) desk, and set that ablaze, too. He didn't care. He swung the knife at Lavender again, who jumped off the desk.  
"The room's on fire!" she protested.   
"I don't give a fuck!"  
"You're insane!" Lavender cast another spell, and froze the flames. 

She grabbed Mokoto's arm as he was about to stab her. Mokoto kicked her. Lavender ignored the pain, and threw a punch. He blocked it.  
"Yeah?" Mokoto snarled as he picked up a chair. Lavender cast a spell when he threw it. It froze and hovered in the air. Mokoto ran towards her, and Lavender released the chair, causing it to land on him.   
"Whoa!"  
Lavender smirked, and ran for the door. She tried to open it, and realized Mokoto had locked it. dead end. She turned around, and gasped. Mokoto gave her a cold, evil smirk as he advanced towards her. Lavender knew she was doomed. She backed up against the door, eyes wide with fright.  
"Get away..." she said in a weak voice. Then, she glared at him.  
"Get away!!" she shouted, and started to kick at him. Mokoto just laughed. He stabbed the knife into one of her legs. Lavender screamed in pain. Mokoto pulled the knife out and watched as she fell to the floor, clutching her bleeding leg.

Mokoto towered over her. Lavender looked up at him. He stood, smirking down at her. The knife was in his hand, ready to be pushed right into her. Lavender closed her eyes and screamed as Mokoto raised the knife above his head. He swung the knife down - and froze before it touched her. The sound of smashed glass had distracted him.  
"Hey!"  
"Huh?" Mokoto turned around to look towards the window. A teenage boy stood there, a rock at his feet.  
"What the hell are you doing?!" he demanded.   
"Who are you?!" Mokoto growled.  
"Answer my question." the teen ordered. Lavender recognized that voice. She looked out from behind Mokoto. Trunks!

"Hmm..." Mokoto stepped away from Lavender, and walked towards Trunks. He stopped a foot away from him, and wiped the blood off his knife.  
"Are you a hero?" he challenged.  
"What do you want with her?" Trunks showed no signs of fear. Lavender watched him in amazement. He just stood there. A cold, serious expression on his face.  
"Can you kill me?" Mokoto swung the knife at him. Trunks moved so fast it looked like he'd just vanished.   
"What the - ?!" Mokoto turned around and swung the knife. Excepting him to be surprised, Trunks was caught by the knife. 

Lavender gasped and covered her mouth when she saw the blood spilling from his cheekbone. Trunks, however, didn't seem to care much. Mokoto read his power level, and was amazed at how strong a boy of his age was. He powered up to become stronger than Trunks. He threw his fist at Trunks, followed by a ki blast. Trunks blocked them both, and launched a series of his own ki attacks. Mokoto blocked them all easily. Trunks saw this, and decided to power up.   
Lavender stared in disbelief as Trunks' hair turned a magnificent golden colour, and his power level increased.  
"What the hell?!" Mokoto had never seen anything like it. But that didn't but him off. He continued to attack. Lavender watched as they fought more, but Trunks was stronger now. Mokoto powered up some more, matching Trunks' strength. He launched a series of punches and kicks. Trunks dodged all but one, which knocked him backwards. He put out his foot to keep his balance, but he looked dazed. Mokoto launched another attack.

"No!" Lavender cried angrily. She attacked him, knocking him to the floor. Trunks shook his head, snapping out of his daze.  
"Thanks." he said to her.  
"Argh!"   
"Look out!" Trunks pushed Lavender aside before Mokoto could slash her. He just about dodged the knife himself. Trunks threw one final blast at Mokoto, and Mokoto gave up. He crouched down, breathing heaving and bleeding. He raised his head, and glared at them.  
"Next time. I promise." with that, he ran for the smashed window, and climbed through. 

Lavender fell to the ground, unable to stand any longer. She gritted her teeth as the pain of her injury thrived.  
"Are you alright?" Trunks asked.  
"Huh - oh!" Lavender tried to stand, but it hurt. She just looked at him, and smiled. "Thanks to you I am. You saved my life."  
"He wasn't that tough." Trunks shrugged.  
"You still saved me."  
"Yeah..." Trunks mumbled. Trunks powered down to his normal form.  
"Hey, what was that thing?" Lavender asked.  
"What, super saiyan? It's a transformation. It makes you stronger." Trunks explained.  
"Can you teach me how to do that?"  
"Sorry. Saiyans only."  
"Oh..."

Trunks wiped the blood from his cheek.  
"Oh, you're hurt!" Lavender gasped.  
"It's just a scratch."  
"It doesn't look like a scratch." Lavender argued, getting up. "You have to go to the school nu - ow..." she sat back down. Trunks smirked.  
"Looks like you need the nurse more than I do." he said.  
"I guess so..." Lavender smiled.   
"I'll carry you." Trunks bent down to pick her up.  
"What?! Carry me?!"  
"Well you can hardly walk there by yourself." Trunks picked her up.  
"But - but -"  
"Relax." Trunks made his way towards the door. "Oh right. It's locked." he kicked it down. "There we go ^_^"  
"You can't do that!" Lavender protested.  
"I just did." Trunks answered back with a smirk. "Besides," he said, walking down the corridor. "We can blame it on that guy. Who was he, anyway?"  
"Believe me, I have absolutely _ no_ idea."  
"He seemed kinda crazy to me." Trunks said.  
"He IS kinda crazy. He keeps talking about my parents." Lavender replied.  
"Why?"  
"He won't tell me. he says something happened when I was born. But he won't tell me that, either."  
"Well, he's obviously a weirdo. Don't pay any attention to him."  
"I won't, I promise."

~

*sorry this chapter's so long, it wasn't meant to be. And I also apologise if I got Trunks' personality wrong 


	4. Deja Vu

Bulma read the letter that had been issued out to the parents of everyone in the school. It was a letter of apology for the event that had occurred after school two days ago. Event? "Trunks? Do you know anything about this?" Bulma called. There was no answer. "Trunks?" She sighed. He was probably training with his father. She continued to read the letter. It was very sketchy on the details. Well, I guess they had to be, to protect the students' identities. All it said was that an unnamed substitute teacher had assaulted an unnamed student after school. The letter apologized to anyone who had been affected by this, and promised that the teacher had been fired. That was all.  
The door opened, and Trunks and Vegeta entered.   
"Trunks, do you know anything about this?" Bulma asked, handing him the letter. Vegeta looked over his shoulder to read it.  
"I knew it!" he accused. "You were that student, weren't you? No wonder you were so ashamed of that cut on your face you said you'd been sparring with Kakarotto's brat. A human gave you that scar, right?"  
"He did not!" Trunks argued. "I wasn't that student! I wouldn't let any teacher come near me!"  
"Trunks, did Goten REALLY give you that scar?" Bulma asked.  
"Er..." Trunks looked at the floor. "Yeah. Where else would I have gotten it?"  
"Trunks." Bulma said sternly. "You should've told us! Who was he?!"  
"Listen, he didn't attack me!" Trunks protested.  
"So how'd you get that injury?" Vegeta inquired.  
"...." Trunks sighed. "Fine. I was walking past the math block on my way home when I heard a scream. So, I went to check it out and a saw this girl being attacked by that teacher. So... the two of us got fighting. He ran off eventually."

Bulma narrowed her eyes at him.  
"Is that right?"  
"Honest, mom, it's the truth!" Trunks swore. He looked at Vegeta. "Anyway, I don't think he was human. He looked like one but he seemed different somehow."  
"Who was this girl?" Vegeta asked.  
"Just some girl in my class." Trunks replied.  
"And you saved her life?" Bulma seemed to lighten up.  
"That's what she said, too. But that guy really wasn't that toug - Whoa!"  
"Who cares?! My boy's a hero!!" Bulma beamed, hugging him.  
"Mom... let go... I can't breath..." Trunks pulled away from her.  
"I'm so proud of you!! Who is she?! Why don't you invite her over so I can meet her?"  
"No way!" Trunks shook his head. "Her name is Lavender Kinoba and she is WEIRD! She's a black mage and -"  
"Kinoba?" Bulma gasped. She looked at Vegeta. "Do you know who that is?!"  
"Hm?" Vegeta tried to think where he'd heard that name before. "Oh, the woman who got killed, right?"  
"Yeah. Lavender is Mizu's daughter." Trunks said. He looked at Bulma.  
"Mom, she is NOT coming round here!"  
"Alright...." Bulma gave in. "But she owes you! You tell her that!"  
"Yes mom..."

*the next day*

"I don't know... why don't I just give him the present?" Lavender said.   
"Oh, come on! You're crazy about this guy!" Mia urged.   
"And you've finally got an excuse to make your move on him. Use the whole "hero" thing." Sandra added. Mia nodded.  
"But he's not interested in me..."   
"Come on! At least try!"  
"..." Lavender sighed. "Fine."

The door opened. All three of them jerked their heads towards it. Trunks entered the room. Mia gave Lavender an encouraging nudge.  
"Go."  
"I can't believe I'm doing this..." Lavender mumbled as she stood up. She made her way over to Trunks, who was sitting at his desk. Trunks raised his head, and looked at her.  
"Lavender?" he seemed surprised.  
"Here." Lavender handed him a presant.   
"What's this for?" Trunks asked, taking it.  
"Just my way of saying "thank you" for saving my life." Lavender replied.  
"Oh right. Er... thanks." Trunks said, still surprised. He unwrapped the present. A small box of chocolates.  
"I didn't know what to get you, so I just figured you'd like those." Lavender explained.  
"I do. Thanks." Trunks put them in his backpack. Lavender turned her head to look at her friends, who gave her encouraging looks. She reddened, and turned back to Trunks.  
"Er... Trunks..." she began.  
"Yeah?" he asked.  
"How about... we go out sometime...? Saturday?"  
"Oh, er..." Trunks said. _"Oh man! How are you gonna get out of this? Okay, find an excuse!" _ "I er... I would, but... I'm really busy this week. My mom's birthday's coming up and, er... we're gonna throw her a surprise party."  
"Oh... that's too bad..." Lavender mumbled, disappointed. She forced a smile. "Next time, right?"  
"Yeah. Sure."

Lavender made her way back over to her friends.  
"Well? How did it go?" Mia asked.  
"He ditched me." Lavender groaned.  
"Huh?"  
"He said he couldn't come because it was his mom's birthday... but I could tell he was lying..." Lavender said.  
"That guy's a jerk anyway!" Sandra protested, trying to cheer her up.  
"Thanks, Sandy..."  
"She's right. You're a great girl. He's the one with the problem." Mia said.  
"I guess it was nice of him to try to protect my feelings, though..." Lavender mumbled.  
"Forget him. He doesn't deserve you."

~~~

Lavender and Mia walked along the school corridor. It was the end of the day, and Mia was heading home while Lavender was staying behind for her clarinet lesson.  
"I'll see you in about half an hour." Lavender said, stopping outside one of the music rooms. She was still living with Mia.  
"Alright. See ya." Mia waved, and continued down the corridor. Lavender knocked on the music room, and entered.  
"Ah, Lavender. Where were we up to last time?"  
"Scales, miss."  
"Oh yes. Now, I want you to play this..."

~~~

Lavender played her clarinet as she walked to Mia's house. She'd been set a much harder piece for homework, and she needed to do a lot of practicing. She didn't mind, though. It would take her mind off everything that had been happening. And she needed a break. She could see Mia's house in the distance. Lavender smiled. Mia and her family had been so good to her over these past few days. She didn't like to hang around at Mia's too long, though. Not because she didn't like Mia. And she knew she was more than welcome to stay there as long as she wanted, but Lavender knew she must be interrupting in some way. She needed to get things sorted out at home. But the thought of going back in that house....  
_"Hey, why are you worrying about that now? Mrs Chestnut will start tea soon. Don't be late again!"_ Lavender started walking a little faster, still playing her clarinet.

As Lavender got closer, she could see police cars parked outside Mia's house. What?! Lavender stopped playing her clarinet and stared at them, frozen with fear. She broke into a run.   
"God please no..."  
She skidded to a halt in front of two policemen.   
"What's happened?!"  
"Excuse me, do you know this family?" one of them asked.  
"Mia's my best friend, I'm living with her at the moment."  
"What's your name?" the other policeman asked.  
"Lavender. Lavender Kinoba. Has something happened to them?" Lavender asked desperately.  
"Lavender. I'm very sorry." the policeman seemed sympathetic as he said it.  
"No..." Lavender ran towards the house.  
"Hey! Come back here!"

She ignored the policeman's cries as she ran into the house. Lavender gasped as a policeman and a policewoman walked past her, carrying a body bag.  
"No..." she ran after them. "Is Mia alright? Her family?"  
"Who are you?" one of them asked.  
"Lavender. I'm her friend. What's happened?!"  
"I'm very sorry..." the woman seemed sympathetic too.  
"Mia's whole family? What about her parents? Her little brother?"  
"They've all been killed."  
"But he was only two years old!!" Lavender protested.  
"I'm sorry."  
"Do you know who could've done this?" the second policewoman asked.  
".... Yeah. I think I do." Lavender replied.  
"Could you just wait a while? We'll need to take you down to the station."  
"Yeah... Sure."

Lavender turned her head, and saw someone sitting down in a chair. She recognized her. Mia's neighbor. Lavender approached her, and crouched down beside her.  
"What happened, Sarah?" she asked. Sarah looked at her.  
"Lavender, right?"  
Lavender nodded. Sarah wiped the tears of shock from her eyes.   
"I heard screams. So I ran down here." she began. She looked at the ground. "But when I got here, he'd already escaped through the back door. And Mia... her parents..." more tears came. "Even little Joshua. All of them were dead." she began to cry. Lavender turned her head away, and a tear leaked out from her eye.  
_"Why...?"_


	5. It's just a Legend

Goten looked around. It was a hot school day, and he and Trunks were standing outside in the shade under one of the school's oak trees. He spotted Lavender. She sat by the fountain with Sandra. She didn't look too happy, Sandra seemed to be trying to get her to talk.  
"Hey, did she really ask you out?" Goten asked.  
"Huh?" Trunks looked at him. "Yeah. But who told you that?"  
"Sandra told me you dumped her, so she asked me if I could talk you into asking her out."   
"Don't bother." Trunks said. "I'm just not interested in her, okay?"  
"I know." Goten replied. "But a lot of crazy stuff's been happening. Isn't it weird that all these murders have been people she knows?"  
"Yeah..." Trunks mumbled. "First her mother and then her best friend... whoever it is committing these murders must know her." he shook his head. "But when I fought that guy a few days ago, she said she didn't know him. And he's the prime suspect."  
"Maybe she's lying?"  
"She obviously is." Trunks watched Lavender. "But she's always seemed like a normal human. I wonder what's up with her...?"  
"I thought you said she wasn't a normal human, though?" Goten looked at him.  
"Oh yeah, she's a black mage." Trunks nodded. "Hmm... maybe that's something to do with it. Black mages have a lot of enemies, right?"  
"Uh, yeah. Sure."

~

"Come on, Lavender... None of this is your fault." Sandra put her hand on Lavender's shoulder.  
"Come on, Sandra. You know as well as I do that Mia would still be alive if it wasn't for me." Lavender replied. She leant forward, and ran her hands through her hair. "Mokoto knew Mia was my friend so he killed her to get at me."  
"Who is he, anyway?" Sandra asked. Lavender shook her head regretfully.  
"I don't know... he knew my parents. That's all he'll tell me." a tear escaped her eye. "I just wish I knew what had gone on before I was born. If I knew that... maybe I could put an end to all this."  
"He's really not said anything?"   
"..." Lavender frowned when she remembered that Mokoto had said something else.  
"He's got it into his head that I want to kill him."  
"Why would you want to kill someone you've never even met?" Sandra questioned.  
"I don't know. I don't want to kill him. But he won't believe me. He said he couldn't take the risk... like I'm a threat to him or something."  
"Threat?" Sandra repeated.  
"He knows something." Lavender told her. "He knows that something happened when I was born, I can tell. There's something about me... something he's afraid of... and for the life of me I can't figure out what it is."  
"Maybe it's because you're a black mage? Maybe he can't hurt them?" Sandra suggested. Lavender shook his head.  
"It can't be. My mother was a black mage - a stronger one than myself - and he killed her easily."  
"... Then I don't know..."  
"He's the only one that does." Lavender said. "I just wish he'd tell me..."

~~~

Mokoto took a sip of his tea, and leant back in his chair.   
"Don't make yourself too comfortable." a (sexy) woman's voice said.   
"Don't worry, Tamzin. I'll just lay low here for a little while." Mokoto promised. "That girl... I've killed her mother and her friend and she still hasn't come to search for me."  
"She sounds harmless to me, why do you bother?" Tamzin asked. Tamzin was a strange - looking creature. She looked remotely like a human. Well, a cross between a human and a leopard. She had a long, furry leopard tail. However, the features on her face seemed quite normal. She had a human nose and eyes, except her eyes were red. Her long, loose hair was a beautiful "autumn" colour. She had two marks, one under each eye. They were light brown and shaped like long petals, giving a sort of "whisker" effect. She had normal, human skin, but it was colored strange. It was very pale yellow - brown, like a leopard, and had faint black spots on it. She wore black leather boots, black fishnet tights, and a black leather coat. Mokoto got the impression that under the coat there was just a bra and a pair of knickers.   
He, on the other hand, was much more covered up. He looked just like a human. He wore grey trousers, black shoes, and a plain white shirt under his brown reindeer fur coat. His hair was dark grey and he had emerald green eyes. He was much older than Tamzin. While she was only about twenty, he was clearly in his early fifties.

Mokoto shook his head.  
"Mizu had clearly tried hard to keep her from transforming, but she is naturally strong enough to do it anyway."  
"But if she's as weak as you say she is, she's no threat to you." Tamzin shrugged.  
"She may be weak now, but if she reaches her second form her power will increase dramatically. She'll become The Black Hope."  
Tamzin laughed. Mokoto looked at her, and frowned.  
"What's so funny?!" he demanded.  
"I don't believe it, you actually believe in that thing?" Tamzin replied, smirking.  
"It's true!" Mokoto protested.  
"It's a legend. Something made up by some crazy priest to scare people. What kind of a name is "The Black Hope" anyway?" Tamzin said.  
"Its name doesn't matter." Mokoto growled. "I'll admit, I don't truly believe in it myself, but I believe it could be true. And if it is, you and I are both screwed. We have to kill her before she transforms or they'll be no stopping it."  
"How do you know it's her anyway?" Tamzin asked. "I don't know much about the legend."  
Mokoto closed his eyes, trying to remember how it had been told.  
"... When good bears evil a child, never the other way around.... The Black Hope shall be born." he recited.

Tamzin burst out laughing.   
"Will you stop that?!" Mokoto snapped. Tamzin shook her head, and broke down into soft chuckles.  
"B - Baka!" she laughed. "When good bears a child to evil? That is so stupid!"  
"Well you'd better hope it's stupid, because there's no couple more good and evil than Mizu and Frieza! And if the legend is true their child will definitely be the one that'll kill both of us!"  
"Go home, it's just a legend." Tamzin said, still smirking a little.  
"Well, if you don't believe in the legend, why are you even here? You came to kill Lavender, didn't you?"  
"Yes. But not because of some myth." Tamzin replied. "I came for a much more realistic reason."  
"What reason?"  
"Revenge, of course. Because Frieza killed my family." Tamzin looked at Mokoto. "And was that not your original reason?"  
"Yes. Fifteen years ago I vowed to avenge my family...." Mokoto sighed. "But I wasn't the one that killed Frieza. I've missed my chance," he shook his head. "But now there is a much more serious matter I must attend to."  
"You mean... you'd rather save your own skin from a legend that avenge your family?" Tamzin folded her arms. "Have you no loyalty?"  
"Listen, I'm doing the best I can! I killed Mizu to avenge them!" Mokoto argued.  
"No, you killed Mizu because she was in the way." Tamzin corrected him. "You're scum."  
"..... Are you gonna help me kill Lavender or not?"   
"Yes." Tamzin nodded. "Only I won't screw up."


	6. Perfect

"Class dismissed. Have a nice holiday ^_^" Miss Holly smiled. The class quickly ran out of the classroom, glad to be going home to two weeks off school.  
"So, any plans for the holidays, Lavender?" Sandra asked as she and Lavender walked down the corridor.   
"... No... I guess not..." Lavender replied. _"I was gonna go to that place with mom...."_  
"Well, my family and I are going to Egypt for two weeks. I might be able to talk my dad into letting you come?" Sandra offered.  
"No, that's okay... thanks, Sandy, but I'd rather just stay here and sort things out..." Lavender said.  
"Sure. Hey... are you going back home?"  
"I have to. There's nowhere else for me to stay. It's not like I have any grandparents or aunts to go to." Lavender mumbled.  
"Wanna stay at my place while we're away?"  
"Nah. I'll be alright. But thanks."

~~~

Lavender stared up at the house. It was so strange. She knew it would be exactly the same inside, but it felt different. It was like it wasn't her home anymore. It was just a building. A building she'd never seen or been inside in her entire life.  
"No..." Lavender shook her head. "That's stupid." she approached the door, and took out her house key. "It's just a house." Lavender went inside. She looked around. Everything was just the way it had been. She walked into the kitchen. The sink was empty, and the dishes had ben put away. Mom always did get the housework done first. She could have more free time that way. Lavender walked over to the fridge, and opened it.   
"Ew!" she was greeted by a horrible smell. Holding her nose, she crouched down and looked inside. There was something resting on a plate covered by tin foil. Whatever it was, it stank! Lavender held her breath as she used both of her hands to take it out of the fridge. She placed it on the surface of one of the units, and removed the tin foil.  
"Oh, gross!" she exclaimed when she was greeted by the sight of mouldy pizza. "Yuck!" she held the plate away from herself as she went outside into the garden through a second kitchen door and dumped the pizza in the wheelie bin. She went back inside, and put the plate in the fridge.   
"That must've been there a week!" she said. Lavender washed her hands, still disgusted by the sight of the pizza.  
For a second, she'd forgotten all the bad stuff that had happened. It had been just like being at home. She started to feel a little more relaxed in the house.

Lavender smiled. At least she could come back here.   
_"Hey, why don't you get changed?"_   
Lavender had been wearing the same school uniform for days now. Of course, she'd washed her clothes every day. But it'd be nice to wear something else. She left the kitchen, and went upstairs. 

Her room was just the same. Her walls were a nice lilac colour, and her carpet was navy blue. The units were a sandy colour, and her quilt was also lilac. She opened her wardrobe and took out a pale yellow crop top and a short denim skirt. Then she opened her draw where she kept her "delicates", and started to get changed.

~~~

Lavender sat in front of her dresser, looking at the mirror. She finished brushing her hair. She felt so calm now. This was what she did every morning. Get washed and dressed and then brush her hair. Doing normal, everyday things was so comforting for her. She'd had a wash, as well. She'd already had one, of course, but it felt better doing it at home.  
"I can live with this, right?" she tried to boost her own confidence. It worked a little. "I can cope. I'm doing fine already." Lavender smiled, and stood up. Well... better see just how well she could cope. She knew she'd have to go into the living room sooner or later. Lavender rummaged through her backpack, and pulled the photo Mokoto had given back to her. Might as well put this back where it had been. She left the room, and went downstairs.

Lavender approached the living room. The door was open. She gulped. _"Come on... just go in... it won't hurt you..."_  
"...." Lavender clutched her necklace. She was still wearing it. She didn't know why. After everything that had happened, she now had near to no faith at all. But she always clutched the necklace when she was afraid. Out of habit, really.  
"Mother..." she whispered. Lavender took a small step into the room. She looked around. This room was so different. Unlike the other rooms, it had been disturbed. The picture was gone, but that was obvious. The TV... it was smashed. Mom had put up a struggle...  
The mirror was a little cracked, but too high up to take any real damage. The cushions on the sofa and the armchair were on the floor. One was burned. Mizu had obviously used her fire magic. The armchair had been knocked out of place a little, too. Lavender couldn't see anything past the sofa. She took a step towards it, afraid of what she'd find on the other side.  
"That's stupid. There won't be anything..." she mumbled. The... body.... had been taken away. Lavender had seen it leave. What was there to be afraid of?  
She slowly walked past the couch, and looked at the floor. Lavender gasped, and her eyes went wide with horror.

Blood. There was a large pool of dried up blood on the carpet. She screamed, and stepped backwards frantically, touching the armchair. She clasped her hands over her mouth in horror. Tears escaped her eyes.  
"God... no..." she ran out of the room; out of the house; and down the path. She didn't stop at the gate, she frantically opened it and ran through, gasping in terror as she ran in any direction. 

She finally came to her senses and stopped outside a nearby house. She crouched down, out of breath, and breathing heavily.  
"Oh God..." she closed her eyes. It was stupid to react like this over blood, but it brought back the memory of finding Mizu...  
She gave herself a moment, and then stood up. Where was she? She looked up at the building. Was this a house? Yeah... but a big one! She'd seen this place before. It was near where she lived. Her mother knew the people that lived here, but they rarely spoke. They'd just introduced themselves when Mizu first moved here. That was all. Who were these people? Lavender realized she didn't know who lived here. Mizu was still pregnant when she came here.  
The door opened. Lavender jumped a little, still shaken by the sight of the blood. She squinted to see who'd opened the door. She gasped.  
"Trunks?!" she exclaimed. "YOU live here?!"  
"Lavender?" Trunks stepped out of the house and started walking towards her. "What are you doing here?"  
"..... It's so stupid..." Lavender said, turning away. "I went back to my house... I just saw the blood... and ran. I didn't even know where I was going."  
"Oh..." Trunks mumbled.   
"Trunks?" a woman's voice called. "Who is it?"

Lavender turned around to see a blue - haired woman come to the door.  
"Huh?" the woman, Bulma, looked at her. "A girl?"  
"Sorry." Lavender reddened. "I just came here. I got a shock, that's all. I'll be on my way now ^_^"  
"A shock?" Bulma stepped outside and approached the two of them. "What do you mean?"  
"... My name is Lavender Kinoba. I've just been back home." Lavender figured she'd have heard of her. Bulma clearly did.  
"You're that girl, right? Mizu's daughter?"  
"Yeah." Lavender nodded.  
"I'm so sorry to hear about your mother..." Bulma said sympathetically.  
"... Thanks." Lavender said.   
"Have you just gone home now?"  
"Yeah... but... there was still some blood left...." Lavender looked at the ground.

"That must be horrible!" Bulma exclaimed. "You can stay with us for now if you want?"  
"Wha?!" Trunks looked at her. Bulma glared back, and smiled at Lavender.  
"For as long as you like."  
"Mom!! No - ow!" Trunks gritted his teeth as Bulma stood on his foot.  
"Lavender, you're welcome to stay if you're not read to go home, right Trunks?" Bulma gave Trunks another glare.  
"Y - Yeah. Sure." Trunks didn't seem too enthusiastic. Lavender knew he didn't want her there.  
"No, I'll be alright." she assured Bulma.  
"You don't seem alright. I knew Mizu, she was a friend of mine."  
"Huh?" Trunks looked at her. "But you never spoke to her."  
"Well when she left we went our own separate ways." Bulma replied. "But we were friends before she left to live with Lavender's father." she looked at Lavender. "Although I never met him and she never told me who that was. Who was he?"  
"Well, I never met him. But his name was -"  
"Woman!" Vegeta's voice came from inside the house. They all turned their heads to look at the doorway. Vegeta appeared. He looked at them all.  
"What are you all doing out here?" he asked, a little surprised.

"Lavender is staying with us." Bulma told him stubbornly."  
"But I -"  
"Wha?!" Vegeta jumped back. "Lavender? Who's that?!"  
"Lavender Kinoba. Mizu's daughter." Bulma told him. She put her hand on Lavender's shoulder, indicating her.  
"She is staying with us for as long as she wants."  
"Are you insane?!" Vegeta protested. "You can't just invite people into our house!! What if I don't want some kid staying here?!"  
"YOU have no say in it!" Bulma smirked. "This was my house way before you came along and if I want to invite her I will."  
"But Mom -"  
"I don't want to hear it, Trunks!" Bulma silenced him. 

She smiled sweetly at Lavender.  
"Is there anything you need from your house?" she asked.  
"Really, I can go back there." Lavender insisted.   
"Leave it a couple of days, okay? You seemed pretty nervy before. I don't want to see that happen to my godchild."  
"Godchild?!?!" Trunks and Vegeta stared at her.   
"Mizu once told me that if she ever had a child, I'd be its godmother." Bulma boasted.  
"But that was years ago, right? You never even knew Lavender!" Trunks said.  
"So what?" Bulma answered back. "Now Trunks, I want you to go to Lavender's house and bring some clothes for her."  
"What?! You want me to go to some girl's house, root through her drawers and bring her some clothes?!"   
"Good point..." Bulma mumbled. "Okay, I'll go later." she looked at Lavender." Anything else you want? Oh, and you'll need your backpack, won't you? Is that all?"  
"Uh... yeah. That's fine..." Lavender still couldn't believe this was happening.  
"Good." Bulma looked back at Trunks. "Show Lavender where the spare room is."  
"Mom -"  
"Now!!"  
"..." Trunks sighed, and motioned towards the door. "This way..." he mumbled, and headed towards the house. Lavender followed.  
"I can't believe you're doing this!!" Vegeta exclaimed.  
"Oh, quit your complaining. Why should it bother you anyway? You're always in that gravity room with Trunks. The two of you will hardly see Lavender."  
"That's not the point!!"  
"Ah, shaddap."

~~~

Tamzin looked down at Bulma and Vegeta. It had been hard following Lavender without being spotted, but Tamzin was an expert at making herself go unnoticed. She watched Bulma and Vegeta from the roof of Capsule Corps like a cat. Her eyes didn't once get off her prey; her arms were folded in front of her as she lay on her stomach, and her tail wagged slowly, and occasionally jerked to the side.  
"Lavender..." she mumbled. Lavender was a little more guarded than she would like, but these two seemed like pretty easy targets. Tamzin planned her next move as she watched the couple. If she could kill at least two of Lavender's guards, getting to Lavender would be easy. Hmm.... but that boy... maybe it would be less time consuming and much more fun if she used him as bait. But how to get him on his own...?   
"I'm going to Goten's." Trunks came out of the house.  
"You're leaving Lavender on her own?!" Bulma seemed unimpressed.  
"Well maybe she wants to be left on her own after everything that's happened?" Trunks tried to excuse himself.  
"Hmm... I guess..." Bulma mumbled.  
"Anyway, see ya. I'll be back in a few hours." Trunks jogged away. Tamzin watched him leave - on his own. She smiled evilly.  
"Perfect." she purred. She stood up elegantly, and moved so fast she seemed to just vanish.


	7. Don't play with Fire

Trunks could see Capsule Corps in the distance. It was still a bit away, but he was in no hurry. Actually, he was doordling home. Tamzin followed closely. She flew about a mile above and behind him, holding back her ki so he couldn't sense her. Slowly, she came closer. Now she was only a meter away, but she didn't trust her shadow. She landed on the ground silently, and crept after him. Even in her boots she managed to move without making a sound. Tamzin put her hand in one of the inside pockets of her coat, and pulled out a syringe. She could sense his ki. It would be too much trouble and would attract too much attention if she tried to fight him. But this way was perfect. Tamzin bent her knees a little as she stalked him, and pounced.  
"What the?!" Trunks cried out as she knocked him to the floor.   
"Hold still, my lovely." Tamzin smirked, and stuck the syringe into him before he even realized she was holding it.   
"Hey..." Trunks pushed her off angrily. Tamzin stayed crouched down, looking up at him with a strange "whatcha gonna do" smile. Trunks glared down at her.   
"What did you do -" he put his foot behind him, stopping himself falling over. "Whoa..." Trunks put his hand on his forehead. He felt so tired.... so....  
Trunks collapsed, falling forwards onto Tamzin, who held out her hands to catch him. She rested his head on her hands, and smirked down at him.  
"Sweet dreams, little boy." 

~~~

Bulma looked out of the window.   
"Vegeta, I'm really getting worried now. He left Goten's two hours ago. Where could he have gone?"  
"Come on, he's fifteen and a super saiyan. What could harm him? If there was anything strong enough to injure him its ki would be strong enough for me to sense it." Vegeta shrugged. "And if they're holding back their ki?" Bulma argued.  
"Um..." Lavender entered the room.  
"Oh, Lavender." Bulma greeted her. "Do you feel better after that bath?"  
"Yeah. Thanks." Lavender smiled.  
"You're welcome."  
"....." Vegeta looked away. "I'm going to train." he said, and left the room.  
"Is Trunks still not back yet?" Lavender asked, a worried expression on her face."  
"He'll be back. Don't worry." Bulma assured her.

"....." Lavender walked over to the window, and looked out of it. "But if something's happened to him... it'll be my fault..." she said.  
"What makes you think that?"  
"Mokoto must have seen Trunks with me... just like he saw Mia..." Lavender closed her eyes.  
"I'm sorry." she started to cry a little. "I'm so sorry, Bulma..." more tears came and she started to weep into her hands.  
"Hey..." Bulma put her arm around Lavender's shoulders.  
"Don't worry. He'll be back soon."  
"I know you're just saying that." Lavender said. "We both know something's happened to him - and it's because of me."  
"Lavender..." Bulma couldn't think of anything else to say.  
"I'll find him." Lavender promised. "I'll go now. He might still be okay."  
"What?!" Bulma gasped. "No! It's too dangerous for you! I'll ask Vegeta to go."  
"No." Lavender shook her head. "My mother and Mia died because I wasn't there to help them. But maybe I can at least help Trunks. I'll go."  
"Well can't you just take Vegeta with you?" Bulma asked.  
"I need to do this by myself." Lavender started to walk towards the door. She turned her head to look over her shoulder at Bulma. "Besides... maybe I can finally get some answers."  
"... Be careful." Bulma told her. Lavender smiled, and left the room.

~~~

Trunks' eyelids flickered. He slowly opened his eyes.  
"Huh...?" he mumbled as he sat up. "Geez..." Trunks rubbed his head. " Last thing I remember is... a leopard?" he frowned in confusion. "... And a syringe..."  
"You have a good memory." a voice answered him.  
"Huh?!" Trunks jumped when he realized he wasn't alone. He turned his head to look for the owner of the voice, and realized he was in a place he didn't recognize. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before - except in movies. He was in a cage, for one thing. And the cage was in... kinda like an Egyptian tomb. It was just a round room with brick walls. There was no electricity, just torches neatly spread out in a row along the walls, going all the way around the room. They were the kind of torches with flames like you often saw in Egyptian movies. There was no door. Just a hole in the wall opposite him that looked like a doorway with a round top.  
"Where am I...?" he thought aloud.  
"My basement." the voice answered him again. Trunks turned his head to see a woman on the left hand side of the room, sitting on a black plastic chair. She was filing her long, claw - like nails. Trunks recognized her. The leopard. Only now that he saw her, he realized that she looked a lot like a human. It was just her tail and skin colour that made a difference. What race was she? She also had two marks on her face, one under each eye. Like petals. They made her look quite pretty. He'd say "cute", but the colour of her hair and eyes made her look more mature than cute. She was dressed differently now, though. She'd been wearing leather before, but now her boots didn't look like leather. And they were a little darker that her skin with black spots on them. No tight anymore. She wore hardly any clothes. Just a bra and knickers, both the same colour as her boots. She also wore a necklace. It was basically just a piece of thick dark brown lace, with a large (and probably real) claw hanging from it.

Trunks stood up.  
"Where am I?!" he demanded.  
"I told you. You're in my basement." the woman replied. She put the nail filer down on the chair as she arose from her seat. "I don't think we've introduced ourselves." she said. "My name is Tamzin."  
"Trunks." Trunks replied. "Tell me where I am! Who are you?!"  
"Don't get too stressed out, you'll be here for a while." Tamzin told him. "Until your girlfriend comes to find you. Then you are free to go."  
"What are you talking about?" Trunks looked at her.  
"Don't play dumb. You know perfectly well who I'm talking about. Lavender Kinoba. A friend of yours, isn't she?" Tamzin replied.  
"Lavender?" Trunks repeated. He burst out laughing.   
"Hm?" Tamzin frowned in confusion. "What's so funny?!"  
"S - She's not my girlfriend!" Trunks exclaimed. "I don't even like her that much!"  
"Well, she certainly likes you. I can tell just by watching you two for a second that she dreams about you." Tamzin said.  
"... Whatever." Trunks shook his head. "I don't care about any of this. Just get me out of this cage."  
"Sorry, I can't." Tamzin shrugged.   
"Alright. Fine." Trunks turned super saiyan. 

He charged towards the cage bars.... and bounced right off, causing him to go flying backwards into the wall opposite.  
"... Ow..." Trunks climbed to his feet, rubbing his back. Tamzin chuckled.  
"Nice try." she smirked.   
"What the heck is this thing?!" Trunks demanded, running up and grabbing the cage bars.  
"A fairy new model." Tamzin explained. "It can only be attacked from the outside. Any pressure put on it from the inside, it just absorbs and uses to build up its defense against attacks from the outside. Clever, don't you think?"  
"Genius..." Trunks mumbled. "But I don't believe it. You're bluffing." he tried attacking the cage again, giving it his best shot. But it all just backfired and he ended up just attacking himself.   
"Shit!" he shouted angrily.   
"I know, it must be so boring in there." Tamzin smirked, walking over to one of the torches. "But, at least you have me to keep you company." she looked over her shoulder to give him a flirtatious smirk as she said that. She turned back to the torch, and reached up to take it off the wall.

Trunks watched in curiosity at what she was doing. Tamzin turned around to face him, looking at the touch in her hand. She raised her head to look at Trunks.  
"Watch this." she said, and turned back to the torch. Tamzin waved her other hand over it. Trunks watched in amazement as she motioned with her hand and made the flame move along with it. She made it rise and fall. Jump from left to right and back to the centre. Then, finally, she rose her hand high and started to move the torch away from her body as she continued to move her hand. As she did so, the flame grew. She used her hand to make a pulling motion. Dragging the flame towards her. As it rose and moved towards her, it started to take a shape. Trunks begun to see what it was. A leopard. Before long, the flame became a firey leopard which purred as it leapt after her hand, and landed on the floor. Finally, its flaming body changed into fur.   
Trunks stared in disbelief at the leopard that stood at Tamzin's feet. Tamzin smirked at him.  
"Not bad, eh?"  
"How did you do that?!" Trunks gasped.  
"A trick every member of my race has the ability to pull off." Tamzin told him. She went over to put the flameless torch back on the wall as she explained. "The men are tigers. The women are leopards. We can all make our creature arise from a burning flame." she looked at him. "Of course, it's just a flame. Not real like those over there." she pointed her hand towards the right hand side of the room. Trunks turned his head.  
"Whoa!" he hadn't noticed them before. Two leopards sat calmly next to each other. They looked at him. Their yellow eyes staring him down. But they weren't interested for long. Trunks looked back at the flame leopard. Strange. Its eyes were red like Tamzin's. Maybe it was because she was its creator.

"Tamzin!" a man's voice called. "Is he awake yet?" Trunks heard the sound of metal, and a man entered the room. Oh, right. Through the doorway was a ladder. He didn't recognize the man.  
"Yes." Tamzin turned to face him, hand on her hip. "I've been showing him my magic trick."  
"Playing with fire?" the man looked at the red - eyed leopard. "You know I don't like leopards. Put it back."  
"This is my house." Tamzin reminded him.  
"But you already have two!" the man whined. Tamzin sighed. "Fine." she went over to get the torch, and did pretty much the same hand motion except in reverse. Instead of pulling she pushed and instead of raising her hand she lowered it, until the leopard was once again a flame. She put the torch back. Mokoto approached Trunks' cage, and looked at him.  
"Maybe she'll come for us now." he said.  
"If this doesn't bring her, nothing will." Tamzin replied.   
"Who are you?!" Trunks demanded.  
"My name is Mokoto." the man said. 

Trunks looked at him.  
"Hey... aren't you that guy? The substitute teacher?"   
"You remember? Yes, that's right." Mokoto replied.   
"What do you want?!" Trunks growled. "Why can't you two just leave us all alone?! What's so special about Lavender anyway?! Because she sure as hell doesn't know!"  
"She will find out soon enough." Mokoto assured him. "For now, we'll just wait for her..." "Rr..." the two leopards stood up, their ears sticking up.  
"You're sensing someone?" Tamzin asked them. She looked at Mokoto. "I don't think we'll be waiting long."  
"Hmm..." Mokoto tried to track down any ki signal. "She's near. It's definitely her."  
"I can feel it too." Tamzin said. Trunks could, too. But it wasn't anywhere near the combined power of Tamzin and Mokoto. He just hoped she hadn't come alone.  
"Lavender..."


	8. True Form

Tamzin and Mokoto stood, watching the doorway as they felt Lavender's ki come closer to them, like predators waiting for their prey. Trunks heard the sound of metal. She was coming. And... oh God, she was alone!  
The outline of a figure jumped off the ladder into the dark doorway. Lavender stepped out, emerging from the darkness. She looked at her rivals.   
"Mokoto..." she said. "I knew you'd be here."  
"I don't think we've had the pleasure," Tamzin began. "My name is Tamzin."  
"And I'm sure you know mine." Lavender challenged. "Did Mokoto hire you to help him?"  
Tamzin started laughing.  
"Of course not, what makes you think that?" she replied. "I cam here by myself. I didn't even know Mokoto until recently."  
"Hey, Lavender!" Trunks called. "Did you come alone?"  
"Trunks!" Lavender gasped. She glared at Tamzin and Mokoto. "What have you done to him?!" "Nothing. Honest." Mokoto said innocently.  
"He's come to no harm, if that's what you mean." Tamzin told her. "Now then..." she made a quick gesture with her hand, and the two leopard stood up. Noticing them, Lavender backed away a little. The leopard walked towards her. Lavender continued to back away, out of their path. They sat in front of the doorway and settled there, blocking the exit.

Tamzin gave an evil smile.  
"Shall we start?"  
"Not until I can get some answers." Lavender replied stubbornly. "Just what is it you guys are after?"  
"I just wanna kill you. That's all." Mokoto shrugged.   
"But why?!" Lavender demanded. "Is this something to do with my father?! What did my father do?!"  
"Well, for a start, he killed my family." Mokoto told her. "And then he got your mother pregnant with The Black Hope."  
"What the heck is that?!" Lavender became impatient. "You're not making any sense!"  
"Really?" Mokoto looked at her. "Actually, you're the one who isn't making any sense. You don't even know what you are."  
"..." Lavender sighed, and shook her head. "Are you gonna tell me what I am, then?"  
"If I do that, I might be in even more danger. I'm not gonna tell you how to kill me." Mokoto refused.  
"Whatever." Lavender looked at Tamzin. She folded her arms. "And are you after me because of this hope thing?" she asked.  
"Me?" Tamzin seemed amused at the idea. She chuckled. "Of course not. I'm not so gullible." she shrugged. "My motives are simple. Good old fashioned revenge. It's still very popular."  
"Revenge for what, exactly?"  
"Your father killed my family, too. That's all. It was about five years before you were born. I was a child at the time and couldn't stand up against him. So I just hid away, waiting for the day I'd be strong enough to have my revenge." Tamzin pointed at Lavender. "By killing you, I will avenge my family."  
"... I guess my father killed a lot of people..." Lavender mumbled , looking away guiltily.

"You don't even know that?" Mokoto frowned. "She's told you nothing at all! He killed for a living." he shook his head. "No. He hired people to kill. To purge planets for other races. They paid him to have his men do it. He purged them to sell them, too. To the highest bidder." Mokoto explained. "I was one of the survivors after my planet was sold. Only five of us escaped in time."  
"What...?" Trunks mumbled. "Her father..."  
"... That's awful." Lavender said sympathetically. "Really." she shook her head. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea he was such a tyrant. But... be that as it may, don't blame me. I'm not like him!" she protested. "Don't punish me - and whatever you do, don't punish my friends!"  
"We're not punishing you." Tamzin said. "We're punishing your father by killing you." she motioned towards Mokoto. "Well, he's just doing it to save his own skin, now."  
"..." Mokoto glared at her.  
"Save himself from what?!" Lavender demanded. "Why do you two keep coming back to this?! Just tell me what you're afraid of!"  
"Ah, find out yourself!" Mokoto launched at her, knocking her down. Lavender gasped as he pulled out his knife. She tried desperately to push him off, but he was so strong.  
"Lavender!" Trunks cried. 

Lavender growled at Mokoto, and grabbed his shoulders. Mokoto screamed as an electric current ran through his body. Lavender pushed him away and stood up, only to be attacked by Tamzin. She slashed at Lavender with her claws, and in split seconds blood spilled from Lavender's face.  
"Get me out of here, I'll help you!" Trunks instructed.  
"How?!" Lavender dodged another one of Tamzin's attacks. Mokoto, burnt but alive, snarled as he ran towards Lavender. Lavender screamed and ducked, causing the knife to cut into Tamzin's breast.   
"Moko!!" Tamzin cried angrily.   
"Sorry." Mokoto pulled the knife away. Tamzin hissed at him, and slashed at him.  
"Hey, it was an accident!" Mokoto protested, glaring at her. Lavender smirked, and set both of them ablaze. Mokoto tried desperately to put out the flames while Tamzin smirked at Lavender as her injury healed.   
"Thanks."  
"Shit!" Lavender frowned. Mokoto shook his head.  
"Enough of this crap!" he sent a series of ki attacks at Lavender. Lavender tried to dodge them all, but got his twice. She gasped in pain.  
"Argh!" Mokoto slashed at her, but she dodged, and punched him. Tamzin knocked her over.  
"Mokoto!" she urged.   
"Get OFF!!" Lavender kicked Tamzin away. She scrambled to her feet, and was greeted by another one of Mokoto's ki attacks. This time, she dodged - but just barely.

"Lavender! Attack the cage!" Trunks cried.   
"Okay..." Lavender ran towards the cage and kicked it. She hardly did any damage. Tamzin and Mokoto both changed at her. Lavender gasped, and jumped up, above and over their heads. Tamzin managed to do a back flip away from the cage before he shit it, while Mokoto wasn't as quick on his feet and charged into the cage with all his might.  
"Shit!" he broke through the cage bars. Trunks laughed at him, and ran out of the cage. "No!" Tamzin shrieked. She gasped as Trunks turned super saiyan, and sent a series of ki attacks at her. Tamzin flipped, jumped and bent over backwards to dodge them all. When she was done, she raised her hands, and jerked them forward, towards Trunks and Lavender.

Instantly, the two leopards charged at their mistress' opponents.  
"Oh, great!" Trunks mumbled. He sighed, and in one attack he blew them up. Tamzin screamed.  
"No!!" she cried. "My leopards..." she glared at Trunks. "You'll pay!" she leapt at him.  
"Hey!" Lavender was about to attack her when something wrapped around her throat.  
"Let go!" she snapped.  
"I don't think so." Mokoto snarled as he held her up against him, his arm around her neck and the tip of the knife touching the side of her head.  
"I said..." Lavender growled. "GET OFF!!" she shot up her hands to grab his arm, and sent another current through him. Mokoto screamed in pain and let go of her. Trunks threw a punch at Tamzin. The two of them were fighting each other now. Lavender realized it was her against Mokoto. She looked at the torches on the wall, and made five of them rise up. She made hand movement to control them. She pulled them over to Mokoto, and spread out her arms so that they floated in a circle above his head. Mokoto looked up at them.  
"Oh fuck." he threw himself to the ground as the torches down at him. Two hit him, burning him. The others shattered onto the floor, letting the flames loose. Lavender froze them.

"Moko..." Tamzin gasped as Trunks kicked her, knocking her to the floor. She was exhausted. Trunks was stronger than her in his super saiyan form. If only she'd known about that...  
Still, she was a fighter. Tamzin got up slowly and painfully. She panted as she stood to face her opponent. Trunks just stood there, expressionless.  
"Surrender?" he smirked.  
"Never." Tamzin leapt at him, and started slashing with all her might. Considering how weak she'd become, Trunks was surprised at her speed. So surprised that he could barely block. Tamzin started to slow down, becoming more exhausted. Finally, she gasped for breath, and fell forward. Unable to support her own body weight any more. She flung her arms out, and grabbed hold of Trunks' shoulders. She leaned on him, trying to stand by herself. Lavender and Mokoto stopped fighting, and looked at her. 

Tamzin was breathing heavily, gasping for breath. She was bleeding a lot. Her arms... her legs... her shoulders... her face... blood was scattered everywhere. The pain she felt was reflected in her eyes. But not just physical pain. She'd failed. The blood that leaked from her head ran down her face. She closed her eyes and it ran down her eyelids. She opened them as it went down her cheek. It looked like she was crying blood. But she couldn't be, because normal tears were slowly appearing.  
"N - No..." she said angrily, and raised her voice. "NO!!" she ran at Lavender, and slashed at her one last time. Lavender made a choking noise as Tamzin's claw cut through the skin on her throat. Tamzin's hand slid down Lavender's shoulder with little grip and resistance as she fell slowly to the ground. Tears in her eyes and a small smile on her face, Tamzin said "Mother... father... Tabby, my sister..." she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry I failed...but I will see you all again..." with that, she fell to the ground. And the smile grew a little.   
"Tamzin?" Mokoto crouched down beside her. Her eyes were still open. He checked her pulse. "... I'll do the rest." he stood up, and looked at Lavender. Lavender stared at Tamzin as she grabbed her throat. It was still bleeding, but she felt alright. Tamzin hadn't cut deep enough. Or maybe she'd just hit the wrong spot. Still, the scar wouldn't go.  
Trunks looked at Lavender.  
"Are you alright?" he asked.  
"Fine." Lavender smiled at him. 

Mokoto looked at the two of them. He shrugged.  
"Well, now that she's gone, I guess I'll need some help." he said. Mokoto smirked.  
"You two aren't the only ones who can transform, though." he put away the knife. "Now I'll show you my true form."


	9. A Monster

Trunks and Lavender stared in disbelief at Mokoto as he started to change. But that wasn't the most shocking part. He screamed. A loud scream of pain as he powered up.  
"What's happening to him...?" Lavender whispered, a little frightened.  
"I don't know..." Trunks replied.   
"Aaaaaaaaaargh!!!" Mokoto's eyes rolled to the back of his skull. He started to grow bigger. His clothes started to rip, and his screams became a monstrous roar. His skin seemed to split, revealing a bit of bone underneath. Lavender turned away.  
"Gross..."  
"Look!" Trunks, not taking his eyes off Mokoto, tapped Lavender's shoulder.   
"Huh?" Lavender turned back round to look at Mokoto. He was... shrinking. Mokoto still screamed as he shrank, and became so small his coat covered him. He was soon under a pile of clothes on the floor.

Silence.   
Trunks and Lavender looked at each other.  
"What was that?" Trunks thought aloud.  
"Do you think he died? Maybe the transformation killed him?" Lavender suggested.  
"Well..." Trunks approached the pile of clothes. He crouched down to reach them. "There's only one way to find out."  
"Trunks, no!"  
Trunks pulled away the clothes. Lavender gasped as he did so, afraid of what would jump out at him. She frowned in confusion when nothing happened.  
"What is it?" she asked, unable to see past Trunks.  
"He..." Trunks said in a puzzled way. "He's gone..."  
"Gone?" Lavender repeated.  
"Yeah." Trunks stood up and stepped away, allowing her to see for herself. "See?"  
"But..." Lavender walked over to the clothes. She rummaged through them, but found nothing. "It doesn't make sense."  
"His ki isn't around anymore." Trunks realized. "I can't feel it, anyway."  
"Me neither..." Lavender mumbled.   
"Eh." Trunks shrugged. "Might as well go home. He's gone."   
"..... Yeah..." Lavender said. "I guess."

~~~

Trunks and Lavender walked down the long corridor that lead to the basement. For some reason, this corridor was just put on the back of the house. There was a door leading to it in the kitchen. Why the basement couldn't just be below another room without this corridor, neither of them knew. This place was like the basement. No light, just torches running along the walls.   
"Hey..." Trunks began. He turned his head to look at Lavender as he walked. "Thanks for saving me."  
"Well... you saved me at school. So I guess we're even ^_^" Lavender replied. Trunks laughed.  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
The carried on walking in silence for a little while longer. Lavender was the one that spoke next.  
".... Thanks for letting me stay at yours..." she said. Although she knew he didn't want her there.  
"Oh..." Trunks mumbled. "Don't mention it..."  
"I'll be gone soon." Lavender promised.   
"... Listen, you're probably better off staying with us for a while. Just in case Mokoto comes back." Trunks said. 

Lavender stopped, and looked at him. Trunks carried on walking.  
"Really?" Lavender asked, surprised.   
"Sure." Trunks said. He turned around so he was walking backwards, and shrugged. "Might as well. We've got enough room." he turned back round.  
"Trunks..." Lavender smiled. She jogged after him, and started walking beside him again. "Thank you."  
"Like I said. Don't mention it." Trunks replied. _"Wow, you've changed your tune. Now you're inviting her round?"_ he was surprising himself. But on the other hand, he'd never really known her before. He'd just thought she was weird because she was a black mage. But as it had turned out, she was okay. She put up a pretty good fight against Mokoto. _"And her personality isn't too bad, I guess...."_

"Hey, Trunks..." Lavender just had to ask this next question.  
"Yeah?" Trunks asked.  
"... You've changed since this afternoon... um... why?"  
"Huh?!" Trunks stopped, and looked at her. "What do you mean, "why" ?"  
"Well this afternoon you really didn't want me to stay with you. I just wondered what made you change your mind?" Lavender had stopped too.  
"... I... guess I just think you're okay now. You're not that bad, I suppose. I've just never really known a black mage before." Trunks told her.   
"You didn't like me because I was a black mage?!" Lavender folded her arms.  
"... Sorry. I guess it was a little shallow..." Trunks said, thinking he'd offended her.  
Lavender just smirked.  
"It's okay." she said, unfolding her arms. "I think they're kinda freaky, too. But the spells are handy." she continued walking. Trunks followed. "Although, kung fu is good, too..."  
"You do martial arts?!" Trunks was surprised. Lavender nodded.  
"Mm hm. As well as being a black mage, my mother was a black belt, and she was also a swordswoman. She taught me martial arts."  
"Can you use a sword?" Trunks asked.  
".... She was gonna start teaching me that day..." Lavender said sadly.  
"Oh.... sorry." Trunks looked at the ground.  
"It's okay."

"Hm?" Trunks froze on the spot. Lavender looked at him.  
"What's wrong?" she asked.  
"Do you sense that?"  
"Huh?" Lavender tried to sense anything unusual. "... Yeah..." she said. "It's huge!"  
"What could it be?" Trunks looked around.   
"Mokoto." Lavender said. "It must be him!"  
"Wait..." Trunks frowned. "It's gone..."  
"That's weird." Lavender mumbled.   
"Yeah..." Trunks stepped forward, still looking around. Lavender looked around, too. Nothing. They couldn't feel, see or hear anything.  
"Well, I guess it's gone." Trunks said, taking another step forward.

Suddenly, something leapt up from the ground beneath him, knocking him upwards with incredible force.  
"Aah!" Trunks cried out.  
"Trunks!!" Lavender screamed. She gasped, and cast a spell before Trunks slammed his head against the concrete ceiling. Trunks stopped in mid - air, and Lavender gently lowered him to the ground. Still a little shocked, Trunks shook his head.  
"T - Thanks..." he said to her. They turned to face their opponent.  
"What is that?!" Lavender gasped.

It was like nothing they'd ever seen before. It was a... monster. There was no other word for it. It was so tall its large, sharp yellowish horns touched the ceiling (about 10 feet) It had hard, scale - like skin that was a dark brown. The creature was coated with muscles, making it wide enough to block the corridor. On its chest was a red, circular plate. that glowed brightly. It looked a little like armor. On its arms and legs were armor and its underwear seemed to be armor, too. Behind it was a large tail with a sharp, pointed tip. Yellow stripes ran down its tail. On its hands and feet were long, sharp claws. Unlike the rest of its body, the pale green skin on its face looked soft like human skin.  
Its face....  
"M - Mokoto?!" Lavender stammered. The creature smirked, showing sharp, ice - white teeth.  
"Right." he snarled.   
"Where were you before?!" Trunks demanded. "What the hell happened to you?!"  
"I decided I'd surprise you, so I shrunk and dug." Mokoto told him.  
"There was no hope in the ground." Trunks argued. "Tell me the real answer!"  
"Alright... I went through the floor. Something that to years to master." Mokoto told him. He laughed at the shocked looks on Trunks and Lavender's faces.  
"Now... shall we?" he smirked evilly, and swung his tail at them.  
"Crap!" Trunks cried out as he and Lavender jumped out of the way.

Trunks turned super saiyan, and started attacking Mokoto. Lavender used her best black magic against him. Mokoto laughed mockingly as he blocked their attacks using his arms and tail. Trunks growled, and started to build up his energy. Lavender ran up and sent an electric current through Mokoto. Mokoto, however, didn't seem affected. Instead, he started scratching at her. Lavender cried out as pain shot through her. She fell to the floor.   
"Lavender?!" Trunks gasped when he saw her. She was bleeding like anything. Mokoto's claws had sliced across her face and stomach. He'd just missed slashing her throat open.   
"Can you get up?" he crouched down beside her.  
"S... Sure..." Lavender tired to get up, but Trunks could see that she couldn't. He held her down.  
"Stay." he ordered. Trunks looked at her. He even had her blood on his hand. "Shit..." he mumbled. He had to get rid of Mokoto and get help right now!  
"She's still alive?" Mokoto asked. "Oh, my mistake." he raised his tail to finished both Lavender and Trunks off.  
"No!" Trunks released all his remaining energy, giving Mokoto all he had. Mokoto's eyes widened, and he screamed as a powerful ki ball threw itself into him. Trunks threw himself to the ground to avoid being caught up in the explosion. Smoke was everywhere.  
"What's happening...?" Lavender asked weakly.  
"Stay down." Trunks told her. He waited for the smoke to clear, and raised his head to look at his defeated opponent. What he actually saw made his eyes widen with horror.

Mokoto stood there, very burned. Wounds all over him. His armor was shattered and on some parts of his body, mainly on his chest, the skin had started to peel away. But he still breathed. He glared down at Trunks.  
"That.... HURT!!" he roared as he threw his tail towards Trunks and Lavender.  
"No!" Trunks closed his eyes, but was greeted by the sound of another explosion. "Huh...?" he opened his eyes, to find that Mokoto had been attacked from behind.   
"What the...?" he mumbled.

"Trunks! What the hell is this thing?!" a familiar voice demanded.  
"Dad?" Trunks frowned in confusion.  
"Your mom got kinda worried and asked us to come." a second voice explained.  
"Goku!" Trunks stood up, and smiled when he saw the two of them. Goku and Vegeta ran through Mokoto's legs, and turned to face his front.  
"Oh, for -" Mokoto didn't seem too pleased. He let out a roar, and started swiping at the frantically. Goku and Vegeta darted around, dodging his huge hands and sharp tail. They started to strike back with ki. Mokoto tried desperately to block all of their attacks but the were too powerful. He became weaker.  
"N... NO!!" he cried out, and leapt upwards with such force he smashed through the roof.  
"Trunks, get the fuck out of here!" Vegeta ordered. He and Goku followed Mokoto.   
"Hey!" Trunks called after them. "Just watch out!"  
"GO!!"

Trunks picked up Lavender, and flew off down the corridor.  
"Hold on, okay?" he said to her. 


	10. Transformation

"Come on, mom!" Trunks banged on the door of Capsule Corps, with Lavender bleeding onto his back. "Open up!"  
The door opened. A worried Bulma saw him.  
"Trunks! You're okay! Where's your father and Go -" she noticed Lavender, and gasped. "Lavender!!"  
"Did you fix the regeneration tank?!" Trunks asked desperately.  
"Yes!" Bulma nodded. Trunks ran past her. Bulma followed.

~~~

Man, these guys were tough. Mokoto powered up some more. He was now just a little stronger than both Goku and Vegeta combined.  
"Just give up!!" he roared, and started throwing a series of ki attacks at the two saiyans, followed by swipes of his claws, lashes of his tail and kicks. All so fast you couldn't see them. Goku and Vegeta darted about trying to dodge, but even they couldn't avoid everything, and Mokoto was way too big for them to block his attacks. Vegeta glared at him.  
"Big bang attack!!" he cried out, and launched it. Mokoto gasped, and quickly whipped his arms in front of him, and an invisible barrier seemed to appear. It reflected the attack back at Vegeta and Goku.  
"What the?!" Goku's eyes widened as it hit him. Mokoto laughed, and pointed his horns towards them. Two large laser beams shot from his horns, but Goku and Vegeta had no trouble avoiding him.   
"I have an idea." Goku said as they lunched a series of attacks at Mokoto.  
"Oh, what?!" Vegeta demanded.   
"I'll attack his front. While I'm doing that, you throw big bang or something at him from behind."  
"Behind? Isn't that a cheap shot?" Vegeta replied. "Besides, I think he'll notice if I suddenly run round the back of him, Kakarotto!"  
"Well do you have a better idea?!"  
".... Fine, then!"  
Goku started attacking Mokoto harder, throwing ki attacks, punches and kicks. Anything to take Mokoto's attention off Vegeta. It worked. Mokoto didn't seem to notice Vegeta disappearing from sight.   
Vegeta looked up at Mokoto, and quickly built up his ki.

~~~

"I'm gonna go help." Trunks said.  
"What?!" Bulma stared at him. "But you're already injured!"  
"I'm fine." Trunks insisted.   
"Look at you! You're bleeding!" Bulma protested.  
"Most of the blood is Lavender's."  
"But some of it is yours! Just take rest a while first. They can take care of it themselves." Bulma replied. Trunks sighed.   
"Fine."  
"And change your clothes! You look like a battlefield!"  
"Yes, ma'am -_-"

~~~

Lavender's eyelids flickered. She opened them, and gasped. Where was she?! She looked around. A tank? What was this? Why was she floating in.... what was she floating in? Water? No... it wasn't, was it? Her wounds... she was definitely bleeding before. Mokoto had almost killed her. What had happened?  
"Trunk!" Lavender thought. "Is he alright?!"  
The door opened. Lavender was relieved to see Trunks step into the room. He seemed surprised to see her.  
"Wow. You recovered fast." he commented. Lavender noticed he'd changed his clothes. Well, she could hardly blame him. They'd been covered in his and her blood. Mostly hers.  
"Hang on, I'll get you out." Trunks approached the control panel. He pressed some buttons, and the liquid went away. Lavender stepped out of the tank, and looked at him.  
"What is that thing?" she asked.  
"A regeneration tank. It heals wounds." Trunks told her.  
"That would explain a lot..."  
"Are you okay now?" Trunks asked. Lavender nodded.  
"I've never been better. Thanks for bringing me here. I couldn't even move by myself..."  
"Well I could hardly leave you there." Trunks replied playfully. Lavender smiled. 

Trunks looked at the ground nervously.  
"..... Hey... Lavender..." he began.  
"Yes, Trunks?" Lavender asked innocently. She looked at him. "What is it?"  
"... Uhh.... about that time when... you asked if I'd go somewhere with you..." Trunks could feel his face burning. Lavender reddened, too.  
"Sorry about that." she said. "... I just like you, I guess..."  
"Yeah, Goten told me." Trunks replied.  
"Goten?! How does he know?!" Lavender demanded.  
"Huh?" Trunks looked at her. "You don't know? Sandy asked Goten if he could talk me into going out with you."  
"She did WHAT?!" Lavender seemed a little angry. "I can't believe - sorry, Trunks. It wasn't my idea. But I know she was only trying to help me... she was still out of line, though."  
"Don't worry about it." Trunks waved his hand. "It's okay."  
"..." Lavender looked at him. "So, what about that time when I asked you out?"  
"Oh yeah. Uh... well..." Trunks' face started to burn again. "I mean... what I was going to say was..."  
"Trunks?" Bulma entered the room.  
"Great -_-" Trunks mumbled.

Bulma looked at Lavender.  
"Oh, you're healed?" she commented. Lavender nodded.  
"Yeah. I'm fine now." she looked at her. "Hey, did Goku and Vegeta come home yet?"  
"No... they're still fighting Mokoto...." Bulma replied.  
"Then I have to help them!" Lavender declared.  
"What?!" Bulma exclaimed. "After what happened last time?!"  
"He came to kill me. The least I can do is help fight him." Lavender replied.  
"I'm come, too." Trunks said.  
"But -"  
"See ya later, mom!" Trunks ran past her, followed by Lavender. Bulma sweatdropped, and sighed.  
"Bye, then..."

~~~

Trunks and Lavender flew in the direction of Tamzin's house. Trunks was surprised that Lavender could fly. Must be from her father's side of the family. Her father...  
"Hey, Trunks?" Lavender broke his trail of thought.  
"Yeah?" Trunks asked.  
"How are you a half saiyan? I mean, is your father the only saiyan on Earth?"  
"No. Goku's a saiyan, too. But he was sent here as a baby to purge it." Trunks answered.  
"Why did your father come to Earth? He met your mom here, right? So he must've come here for a different reason."  
"Um..." Trunks tried to remember what he'd been told about his father's past some seven or eight years ago. "I think Goku's brother came to get him, and then he got told about the dragonballs..."  
"I've heard of those..." Lavender mumbled. She continued to listen.  
"So he came here to find them... I think. It was a while ago when mom told me."  
"He came from the saiyan home planet?"  
"No..." Trunks said. "Planet Vegeta got blown up when he was a kid. He's the prince of saiyans."  
"Wow, I guess that means you and your family are royalty then." Lavender smiled. Wow. Trunks was a prince.  
"Yeah, I guess it does..." Trunks had never really thought of himself as royalty. Obviously, he'd always known it. But he'd just never really thought about it that way before. It him, Vegeta had been the royal one in the family.

"Planet Vegeta... did it get hit by a meteor or something? How did your dad escape?" Lavender asked.   
"No meteor... and my dad wasn't on it at the time..." Trunks mumbled. "When he was a kid, five or something, this guy took him away. He said that as long as my dad did everything he asked... he wouldn't kill his father - my grandfather."  
".... But if Planet Vegeta didn't get hit with a meteor..." Lavender trailed off.  
"That's right. My dad did everything he said. And he killed my grandfather anyway. Then he blew up Planet Vegeta. My dad was seven years old, I think." Trunks replied.   
"That's horrible! Who did that?" Lavender was disgusted.  
"... The guy Mokoto was talking about." Trunks told her. "Those men he said that guy hired to purge planets, my dad was one of them. Only he didn't get paid."  
".... Trunks..." a tear of guilt rolled down Lavender's cheek. "Mokoto was talking about my father."  
"... I know..." Trunks replied. Lavender looked at him.   
"You know."   
"Uh huh." Trunks said, and turned his head to look at her. "But you can hardly help it if Frieza just happens to be your father."  
"I'm sorry." Lavender said. "Really. My mother never told me what a tyrant he was. I don't know how she could love him." she shook her head. "But... she could love anyone... she was so forgiving... it was kinda weird..."  
"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault."  
"Would your dad say that?" Lavender replied.  
"... Probably not..."  
"Hey!" Trunks gasped when he saw Mokoto in the distance, fighting as if he had all the energy in the universe. "He's still fighting?!"  
"They haven't even made a scratch..." Lavender said in shock.  
"Come on!" Trunks flew faster. Lavender did the same.

~~~

"Really, is this the best you can do?" Mokoto challenged to the saiyans as Trunks and Lavender had arrived. Vegeta and Goku were super saiyan 2, and had powered up as much as they could. But Mokoto had powered up more, too. And he was stronger than them. They were giving a hard time, yeah. Now that they were this close Trunks and Lavender could see that the two saiyans had battered him a little, but they were losing.  
"Dad!" Trunks gasped when he saw the state Vegeta was in. Blood leaking from his arms, legs and face. His clothes had a few rips, too. Goku looked pretty much the same.   
"No..." Lavender whispered. "This can't be..." she glared up at Mokoto.  
"You won't kill anyone else!!" she cried angrily. Lavender started to power up. Mokoto's eyes widened with fear.   
"Stop!" he swiped at her, but she dodged. Trunks looked at Vegeta and Goku.  
"He's afraid of her transformation, start attacking him so she can transform!!" he ordered.  
"Right!" Goku threw himself at Mokoto.  
"Transform...?" Vegeta mumbled. But he had no time to think about that now. He dived at his opponent, along with Trunks. Lavender powered up some more. She could feel herself becoming stronger, like nothing she'd ever felt. All this power... why hadn't Mizu let her use it? She could feel the power running through. She concentrated. Concentrate...  
She started to transform. 


	11. The Black Hope

Trunks' eyes widened. She was... 

Lavender hadn't grown any taller or any wider. This transformation was unlike any of Frieza's. She had no horns... no armor... no scales... Instead, a pair of huge, feathery angel wings grew out of her back. They were white.   
Her clothes were different to before. Her old clothes had just sort of fallen to the floor when she'd transformed, like her second form was rejecting them. What she wore now was very different. She had nothing on her feet or legs. In fact, all she wore was a black silk bra and similar underwear. Her hair was different. Not just that. Her skin was different, too. And her eyes...  
Her velvet skin was snow - white. Her hair was black like ebony, only ebony seemed to be an understatement. It was very straight and long, so long it reached the bottom of her spine. Her eyes were blood red, and sparkled like rubies. Her lips were as black as her hair.

She had markings in the same black colour on parts of her body. Under her eyes were two black oval shapes, one under each. Ancient markings on a legend told for centuries. On her forehead was a mark shaped like the sun. A black circle with think wavy lines coming from it. On her chest there was a black crescent moon. Sun and moon. Yin Yang. Her shoulders had short, pointed black stripes on them that were a sort of triangular shape, only they seemed to go down her back as well. Trunks guessed that they met at the centre of her spine. In fact, they did. The lines went down her back, wavy and "flickering" they looked like flames. The flames of Hell. The two flame lines met at the centre of her spine, where they went into black small circle. Hell's dark abyss.  
She had wavy lines going around her ankles. There were two on each foot and they overlapped each other at some points. The same lines were on her wrists as well. Like chains. Imprisonment.   
Trunks didn't even feel his breath being taken away. She was so beautiful... it was unreal. Surely beauty like that couldn't be human. It couldn't possibly belong to any mortal race. What... was she..? 

Even Goku and Vegeta couldn't help but look at her. She was like nothing any of them had ever seen. Mokoto, however, seemed more afraid than amazed. His eyes widened with fright.  
"The legend is true..." he said. "No!!"  
"A sinner...?" Lavender knew it instantly. Without even thinking, she looked at him. Mokoto gasped. He stared into her red eyes. They pierced him. In just one glance from those eyes, Mokoto screamed in horror as he erupted into flames. They swallowed him up, and he screamed all the way to Hell.

"Wow." Goku was gob smacked.  
"... Shit..." Vegeta couldn't believe it either. He looked at Lavender. "How the fuck did you do that?" this was a serious question.  
"Lavender! I can't believe that - What happened?!" Trunks exclaimed, smiling with happiness. His smile faded when Lavender just stared at him.  
"L - Lavender...?" Trunks started to get a little creeped out. "Hey... what's with you?"  
"What are you doing?!" Vegeta demanded. Lavender turned her head to face him. Vegeta looked at her. "Huh?" he frowned. "What are you staring at me like for?"

Lavender looked at him like she didn't know him. Something told her she knew who he was, but all she could remember was that he was a sinner. A sinner. He had committed the same sin as Mokoto. Murder. Only he had killed more. Mokoto had once destroyed a planet, and he had recently killed a few humans. But this man had been responsible for hundreds of races becoming extinct or close. And he continued to kill even now.  
Lavender tried to think. No. Not Lavender. She was The Black Hope. Born from good's love for evil, and evil's love for good. She had only one purpose: to send all sinners to Hell. That was why she was alive. She was an angel. An angel of life and death. She banished sinners from the world she was born onto so that the good could live in peace, safe from theft, murder, and any other sins she thought deserved a punishment. Lavender was gone. The Black Hope was in control now. And she didn't forgive.   
"C'mon, Lavender..." Goku said. "You're scaring us. What's wrong with you?"  
The Black Hope looked at him. He was a sinner, too. He even helped kill his own brother. Though he had sacrificed himself for Earth, just like the other man had, murderers couldn't be forgiven.   
"Lavender, cut it out!" Trunks protested. "I'm serious. Why are you staring at us all like that?"

The Black Hope looked at him. Sinner. Murderer. She raised her arm to point at him.  
"You sinned." she answered him. Her voice was different. It... "echoed" that was the only word for it. Like she was talking into a megaphone or something. But it was much more creepy, because there was nothing to make her voice sound like that.  
"Sinned?" Trunks repeated. "What are you talking about?"  
"Quit it, kid!" Vegeta growled impatiently. "This isn't funny!"  
"I agree." The Black Hope lowered her arm as she turned her head to look at him as she spoke. "Sins are never funny. Yet I know of a time you killed millions a day. You loved it, didn't you? You're no better than the sinner that raised you."  
"Huh?!" Vegeta's eyes widened. "What are you - -?"

"And you," The Black Hope turned her head to Goku.   
"Me?" Goku seemed surprised.  
"Don't act so innocent. It doesn't suit you." The Black Hope said. "You may have killed your brother in self defense, but do you regret it?"  
"My brother..? How do you...?"   
"You are kind, my child." The Black Hope continued. "You even spared my father's life, though he killed your friend."  
"Father?!" Vegeta and Goku were both shocked when they realized who she meant.  
"Well, perhaps he is not quite my father," The Black Hope replied. "As I am a form of another. I suppose, in that sense, I have no real parents. But there was a woman who bore me all the same. And a man whose seed fertilized her egg. Creating me." she shook her head. "But Son Goku, even if you did spare that man, your sins can never be forgiven by me." she looked at him. "Once a sinner, always a sinner. I cannot have the likes of you three threatening the people in my new world."

"Lavender?!" Trunks yelled.   
"I am not her. She is gone now." The Black Hope told him. "I am Keppaku; The Black Hope."  
"And just what exactly is that?!" Vegeta demanded.  
"I will banish you sinners." Keppaku told him. "Nothing shall ever bring you back from Hell once I have put you there. Even the great dragon is forbidden to bring you back for the sake of wishing."  
"You're going to kill us?!" Goku gasped. Keppaku smirked.  
"Precisely."  
"Like hell you will!!" Vegeta shouted.   
"Dad!"Trunks cried out, but Vegeta had already thrown his strongest ki attack at her. She just hovered there in a standing position, and it hit her. Vegeta smirked and waited for the smoke to clear away. Trunks stared in shock.  
"Lavender!" he called. The smoke cleared away.   
"What?!" Vegeta's eyes widened when he saw Keppaku in exactly the same pose she'd been in before. A smile spread across her face. A mocking one.  
"Fool. You can't kill something whose only purpose is to kill. I die when my work is done. When the world is free of sinners, that is when it is time for me to go." she said calmly. 

"Now..." she said as she closed her eyes and lowered her head. "... It is time..." she opened her eyes and raised her head to look at Vegeta. "TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS!!!" she dived towards him. Vegeta tried out as she flew into him with unbelievable force. She started punching and kicking him. Vegeta couldn't block any of her attacks. It wasn't that she was too fast for him. Had it been anyone else at the speed she was going, he could dodge easily. No. She was immortal. And no mortal could avoid her attacks.   
"Vegeta!!" Goku cried out. He started firing at Keppaku. But the blasts just spun around and hit Goku as she continued to punch Vegeta.   
"NO!!" Trunks shouted. He darted towards her, and grabbed hold of her.   
"Hm?" Keppaku stopped instantly, which was quite impressive considering the speed she was going at. She looked over her shoulder at Trunks, her fist inches away from Vegeta's face and her other hand behind his back. Holding him there. Somehow, she made it impossible for him to get away.   
"Lavender..." Trunks looked into her eyes. "Come on! What's wrong with you?! I know you're still there!"  
"Eh." Keppaku closed her eyes in a stuck up manner, and flicked his nose.   
"OW!" Trunks cried out and grabbed his nose. Keppaku smirked, and chuckled. In one quick movement of her arm she'd punched him about ten miles away, and continued beating up Vegeta.  
"Trunks!" Goku gasped, and flew after him.

~~~

"We've got to reach Lavender!" Trunks exclaimed when Goku found him, injured but alive.  
"But how?!" Goku protested. "Keppaku's way stronger than her!"  
"Maybe physically, but perhaps she has more will power than Keppaku. All she knows is that she needs to kill because she has to, she doesn't know how to actually want something." Trunks replied.  
"So what's your point?" Goku looked at him.  
"My point is that if Lavender actually wants to get out her willpower might be stronger than Keppaku's!"   
"Are... you sure?" Goku asked.  
"It's a long shot but do you have any other ideas?!" Trunks said.  
"Good point ^_^"

~~~

"G... Get lost..." Vegeta could feel the energy being drained from him. Why couldn't he fight back? What was she? Keppaku continued to punch him. Her fists were covered with his blood, but that didn't matter.   
"Ke... Keppaku..." Vegeta tried to push her away. In response, she made one quick movement.  
"Ha!"  
"Aaagh!!" Vegeta cried out in pain as she broke his arm. He even heard it snap. He glared at her, and jerked his other arm up. He clasped his hand around her throat. Keppaku froze, and started to shake and gag as he strangled her. Vegeta smirked.  
"Ha ha..."  
"Arrrr..." Keppaku glared at him, and grabbed his forearm. She snapped it in two. Vegeta screamed in agony.   
"It serves you right." Keppaku said. She looked at the state of him. Blood everywhere, both arms broken. "You'll do for now." she told him. He could really do much. "Hmm..." she grabbed his legs, and snapped them just to make sure.  
"OOW!!" Vegeta had never felt pain like this in his entire life. Jesus Christ, and he thought Keppaku's father was bad! 

Keppaku punched him in the stomach, and Vegeta couldn't cope anymore. He fell to the ground. Within seconds the land around him was red from his blood.   
"Do not worry. I won't forget you. I'll send you there soon, after I've stopped your friends." she said to him. Keppaku looked around. Where were the others?  
"Keppaku!" a voice called. Keppaku raised her head, and saw Goku and Trunks floating above her.   
"Sinners." she gracefully flew up, off the ground. Her wings flapping gentle. She hovered in front of them.   
"Who will be the first to go?" she asked. "It makes no difference. You two are just the first out of millions of sinners. It will be a while before I die."  
"Come on, Lavender!" Goku urged. "I know you're there!"  
"Come on! You can fight here!" Trunks continued.  
"Stop that. It's irritating." Keppaku said.  
"Lavender!" Trunks pleaded. "Fight her!"  
"Silence!" Keppaku punched him in the stomach, sending him flying toward the ground.   
"Lavender!!" Goku yelled.   
"You too!" Keppaku knocked him a few miles away. She flew down towards Trunks. 

Trunks struggled to his feet.  
"L.. Lavender..." he said through the pain.  
"Quiet!!" Keppaku hissed. She grabbed him, and raised her fist to punch him.  
"No..." Trunks closed his eyes, unable to break away from her. Keppaku glared down at him. She frowned, and got ready to attack.   
"Arr - Ugh!" she gasped. She let go of Trunks and backed off, clutching her head. Trunks stood, watching with a smile of his face.  
"Lavender..." he said. "Come on!"  
"T... Trunks!!" that was Lavender's voice.   
"I'm here! Come on!" Trunks encouraged her. Goku came back, he saw what was going on.  
"Hey! Is she coming back?" he beamed.  
"KAKAROTTO!!! TRUNKS!!!" Vegeta shouted to them. Well, it was as loud a shout as he could manage.  
"Huh?" Goku turned his head in the direction of his voice. "Oh. Sorry ^_^" he walked over to him.  
"Why don't you get up?"  
"Are you blind?!" Vegeta snapped. He really had to stop talking then before he used up all of his energy.  
"Hang on." Goku picked him up. "Trunks, I'm taking your dad back to Capsule Corps!" he called.  
"Hey, wait! What am I supposed to do -"  
"I'll be back soon!" Goku said as he flew off.

Trunks watched Keppaku. She was on her knees, screaming.  
"G... Get OUT!!" she shouted angrily. She pulled at her hair, trying to get Lavender out of her head.  
"Trunks!" Lavender's voice returned.  
"Lavender! Try to transform!" Trunks replied.  
"N..... NOOOO!!" Keppaku slammed her head against the ground - hard. She fell to the ground. Then, she didn't move.

Trunks looked at her.  
"Huh?" he walked towards her, and kneeled down beside Keppaku. "Lavender?" he checked her pulse. No pulse?!   
"Lave -" he looked at her. He could still feel her ki. Keppaku's ki. Maybe she didn't need a pulse. Now that he was this close, he could see that she wasn't breathing, either. _"I guess someone who's immortal doesn't need to breath. Does she even have blood?"_ But... why wasn't she moving? Trunks turned her around, onto her back. Her eyes were closed. Perhaps she'd passed out..?  
"... G..." Keppaku uttered a small sound.  
"Hm?" Trunks looked at her.   
"Get..." Keppaku started to wake up. She opened her eyes. "Get out!!"  
"Whoa!!" Trunks fell backwards as she leapt up.   
"NO!!" Keppaku grabbed her head again. "Leave me alone!!"  
"Lavender!" Trunks scrambled to his feet.  
"Nn.." Keppaku started to change. "NNOOOOOO!!!" she screamed in agony as she transformed. She never stopped screaming once, but her screams became more and more like Lavender's voice until finally, Trunks found himself looking at Lavender.  
"... Trunks..." Lavender choked out, and fell forward. Trunks gasped, and ran to catch her. He held her up, and looked at her. Her ki was half of what it used to be, and she'd fainted.  
"... But you'll be okay." he said to her. Trunks held her close to him, and closed his eyes. "I promise."

He smiled as he held her. This was weird... why was he doing this to her of all people? Weren't they just friends?  
He didn't have time to answer that question. Suddenly, the ground started to shake beneath him.  
"Wha..?" Trunks looked around. The ground started to crack open. "Whoa!" he jumped back, pulling Lavender with him as the ground gave way below him. "What's happening?!" he stared in horror at the huge cracks. He started to hear moans. Angry screams and shouts coming from the ground. He could just see down one of the cracks. It was red. No. It was fire! What was fire doing in the ground?!  
"Huh?" Trunks heard more voices, but not half as angry as the others. He looked up. The clouds were parting, along with the sky. The sky split, revealing whiteness.  
"What..." Trunks was now actually a little scared. "What's happening?!"


	12. Doomsday?

The ground shook beneath him.   
"We've gotta get outta here..!" Trunks declared. But he looked around, and the ground was cracking for miles. No matter where he ran, he wouldn't escape.  
"Hm...?" Lavender's eyelids flickered. Trunks looked at her.  
"Lavender?"  
"T..." Lavender opened her eyes. She raised her head to look at him. "Trunks...? Did I... defeat her?"  
"Yeah." Trunks nodded. He looked around. "But it looks like we've got bigger problems."  
"Huh?!" Lavender gasped, and pulled away from Trunks when she saw what was going on. "What's happening?!" she looked up. "The sky...? Oh my..." she spun around and grabbed Trunks' shoulders. "Trunks! Do you know what's happening?!"  
"Well of course I don't!" Trunks protested. "Why? Do you?"  
"Look!" she pointed up at the sky. "That's Heaven!" she looked down at the crack in the ground, and gulped. "That down there must be Hell..."  
"Heaven and Hell breaking loose?" Trunks asked. He looked at her. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes! You gotta believe me!!" Lavender protested.  
"But..." Trunks got onto his hands and knees and looked down one of the cracks. "It can't be.... - HOLY HELL!!" he quickly leaned backwards and just about escaped from a huge flame that rose from the crack. Out with it came...  
"C - Cell?" Trunks' jaw dropped. Cell smirked down at him.   
"Heya!"   
"Aaah!" Trunks and Lavender jumped as a voiced came from behind them.  
"Buu!"

~~~

"What's happening?!" Bulma screamed.   
"An earthquake?" Goku shrugged. "I'll go check." he ran outside Capsule Corps, and froze at what he saw. Saiyans, all of which he didn't recognize; Bab - Babedi?! And Debura... Brolli?! Kold, Coola, but where was Frieza? There was Raditz and Nappa... oh God... his brother.... and who was that other guy?  
"D - Dad?!" Goku stared at the saiyan that looked just like him. Frieza had once said that the two had looked just like each other. Goku had been so young when he'd left Planet Vegeta he couldn't remember what his father looked like, but this guy must be...   
The man turned, and saw him. His eyes widened.  
"Kakarotto?!?!"

~~~

Meanwhile, someone had sneaked in through the back door of Capsule Corps. _"Would he really be here?"_ Well, he could look. He didn't have a clue where Vegeta was so he might as well go anywhere. He made his way down the corridors, glancing in at the rooms as he past. Nothing of interest. Just bedrooms. Then, he came to a different room. There was a regeneration tank. A regeneration tank? He didn't know earthlings had them. He made his way over to it, and looked at the person inside.  
"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me..."  
He sighed, and banged his head against the front of the tank. It cracked a little.  
"Oh shit!" he stopped instantly. He looked at the tank. Ah, it'd be okay. He sighed, and looked up at Vegeta. He was meant to surprise him. Jump out of nowhere and scare him. How could he do that now? He looked at Vegeta's wounds. Had his arms and legs been broken? They looked strange.   
"I'm gonna be here for a while..." he mumbled. _"Ah, what the heck. Everyone's gonna trash the place, so while you wait, why don't you have some fun?"_ he smirked, and headed for the exit. 

~~~

"Are they still chasing us?!" Trunks called. Lavender looked over her shoulder.  
"Hey... they're gone..."  
"Gone?" Trunks stopped, and hovered in mid air. "Guess they got bored. They're probably gonna go after Goku... we gotta find Goku!"   
"Where did he go?" Lavender asked.  
"He went to take my dad to a regeneration tank, he's probably still at my house. Come on!" Trunks flew off.

~~~

A flame shot up from one of the cracks, and Frieza rose up from the ground. He looked around him. Hell's entire population was here - and Heaven's. The angels from Heaven tried to desperately to protect themselves from the sinners of Hell, but they were outnumbered.  
"Hey, they started to riot without me." Frieza smirked. He looked down the crack. "Zarbon!" "Coming, sir!" Zarbon rose up, followed by Dodoria. The Ginyu Force were already out somewhere. Zarbon looked around.  
"Look like five minutes and this planet will be dead."  
"So why don't we join in while we still can?" Frieza said. He smirked, and raised his fist into the air. "We're having a party!!"  
"Yeehaw!"

~~~

"I can't believe it's really you..." Bardock approached his son. He smirked. "Geez... you look just like me."  
"Hey," Raditz came up beside his father. "Haven't seen you for a long time, brother." he said.   
"... Hi Raditz." Goku mumbled. "Listen, if you two are here to cause trouble, then you'll have to fight me."  
"What?" Bardock looked at Raditz. "You see that? I haven't seen him since he was a baby and he wants to kill me." he looked back at his youngest son. "Y'know, that hurts." "... Sorry..." Goku replied. He didn't want to hurt it, it was just that anyone who knew him only came to kill him.  
"Guess I'm the sensitive one in the family." Raditz laughed. Bardock ignored him. "So, Kakarotto, weren't you sent here to purge this planet? What happened?"  
"It's a long story." Goku replied. "But basically, I have friends here."  
"Human friends?" Bardock looked at him. "You weren't supposed to befriend them. Next you'll be telling me you have a child."  
"I have two sons." Goku told him.   
"What?!" Bardock gasped.  
"Two?" Raditz repeated. "But the last time I came there was only one. Who's the other?"  
"Wait - you knew about this?!" Bardock stared at him. "Why didn't you tell me?!"  
"You never asked." Raditz shrugged.

"Goku!" Trunks' voice called.  
"Who's that?" Bardock asked, looking at the teenager.  
"Vegeta's son." Goku replied.  
"Prince Vegeta has a kid?!?!" Bardock looked at Raditz.  
"I didn't know, I swear!" Raditz protested.  
"Goku, Babedi and Cell are out." Trunks said as he and Lavender landed.  
"Everybody in Hell's out!" Goku protested. "There's everybody from Heaven, too! What's happening?"  
"Do you two know anything about this?" Trunks frowned at Bardock and Raditz.  
"Nope." Bardock shook his head. "The gateway to Hell just opened. Something but have set it off, but none of us know what."  
"Maybe..." they all turned to look at Lavender when she spoke. "Maybe it's because Keppaku couldn't complete her task..." she said. "Maybe if she dies before she is supposed to, and hasn't rid the world of all sinners... then the afterlife worlds fall apart..."  
"Keppaku?" Raditz looked at her. "What the hell are you talking about, kid?"  
"Never mind." Goku said. 

"Hey, are you two gonna help us sort out this mess?"  
"Mess?" Bardock repeated. "Are you crazy?" he smiled, and looked around. "This is great! Free at last!"  
"What?!" Trunks gasped.   
"They're destroying Earth!!" Goku protested.  
"Earth should have been destroyed a long time ago." Bardock shrugged. "Besides, I got killed trying to protect my home planet - and they send me to Hell. Where's the justice in that?" he shook his head. "No way. I'm not going back there. Earth can find its own hero, I'm done with all that." he flew off. Raditz followed him.  
"This is really bad..." Goku mumbled.  
"Goku, is Goten okay?" Trunks asked. Goku's eyes widened.  
"Oh my God!! Chichi!" he sped off.   
"Shit!" Trunks followed.   
"Hey, wait!" Lavender was going to follow them, when she saw someone in the distance. She glared at him.  
"Finally..." she hissed, and sped off towards him.

~~~

Vegeta awoke.  
"It's about time." a voice said from outside the tank.  
"Huh..?" Vegeta frowned in confusion. He knew that voice from somewhere... no... it couldn't be...  
The liquid went away, and Vegeta could step out of the tank. He looked around, trying to find the owner of the voice. But he saw no - one.  
"What the...?"  
"Boo!"  
"AAH!!" Vegeta jumped as a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders. This was followed by laughter.  
"Geez, I can't believe you did that!" the voice laughed.  
"No way..." Vegeta knew who that was. "You..." he turned around, and his eyes widened when he saw his father.   
"What - - How - - Aren't you dead?!" he choked.   
"Oh, that's nice." King Vegeta said. "I've not seen you in over thirty years and you want me to go back to Hell?"  
"How did you come back?!" Vegeta demanded. King Vegeta shrugged.  
"Dunno. I heard a rumor that the Black Hope couldn't complete its mission..." he shook his head. "Don't ask me what The Black Hope is. I don't know."  
"Keppaku..." Vegeta mumbled. He looked at his father. "Does this mean everyone in Hell is here? Frieza's here?!"  
"Yep." King Vegeta nodded. "Me... Frieza..." he smirked. "Frieza's boyfriends... we're all here."

He walked towards his son.  
"But anyway, who cares?" he looked at Vegeta. "I wanna know what's been happening." he grabbed Vegeta's hair, and pulled his head back so Vegeta was staring up into his cold eyes. Vegeta gritted his teeth in agony as King Vegeta held him there, examining him.  
"Geez... Frieza had his fun with you alright." King Vegeta said. "Look at the state of you, boy. And weren't you taller than that the last time I saw you?"  
"Get off my back." Vegeta snarled.   
"Hm." King Vegeta let go of him. Vegeta shook his head, shaking the pain away. He glared at his father.  
"And we both know why Frieza had his fun with me..." he hissed.  
"Oh yeah, that." King Vegeta didn't seem to care less. "Well, at least he gave you an attitude problem. Aggression is the key to strength."  
"You make it sound like you gave him to me just so he could make me into a warrior." Vegeta said coldly.  
"Nah. I had no choice in the matter, else you know I wouldn't have." King Vegeta looked at him. "But it was either you or the planet. What was I supposed to do?" he took a swing at Vegeta. Vegeta blocked. King Vegeta smiled, and continued to punch and kick. Vegeta blocked everything without difficulty.  
"Hmm... well, you're stronger than you look. I guess you turned out to be something after all." King Vegeta said. He smirked, and ruffled Vegeta's hair. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."  
"Of course not, father." Vegeta smiled sweetly, and turned super saiyan as if it were nothing. King Vegeta's jaw dropped. His eyes widened.  
"... Whoa....! Is that...?"  
"Super saiyan?" Vegeta still acted as if it were nothing. "Yeah, just a little something I picked up a few years back. It's getting a little boring now, actually." he smirked at the look on his father's face. King Vegeta stared at him.  
"Geez..."

~~~

Lavender looked around. Where had he gone? All she saw was a bunch of people she didn't recognize, most of which were of races she didn't recognize. She looked around some more. Nope. She had lost him.  
"Dammit..." she mumbled. _"Well... better go find Trunks."_

~~~

Frieza entered a building. There were already some people from Hell there drinking their body weight. There was a dead, bloody human body on the floor. Probably the owner of the bar.  
"Sir, what are we doing in here?" Zarbon asked.  
"Come on, Zarbon!" Frieza protested. "I've not had a drink for so long I'm almost sober." he said that with a playful smirk. He made his way over to the bar.   
There was already a guy serving there. A saiyan. No, not just any saiyan. It was Nappa. Nappa looked at Frieza.  
"Sorry. We don't serve lizards." he said.  
"That's fine. I'll just come round there myself." Frieza shrugged. "And while I'm at it, I'll kill you and banish you from existence."  
"What'll it be?" Nappa sweatdropped. Frieza smirked.  
"Anything that faintly resembles wine."   
"Coming up!" Nappa looked around, and pulled out two wine bottles. He placed them on the counter.  
"Hey! Nappa!" a saiyan Frieza didn't recognize called. "When you're done with the lizard, do you mind getting your own race a beer?!"  
"Shut up, I'm on it." Nappa answered back.   
"Dear God..." Frieza gasped as he put the wine bottle down. "Ten years and I've forgotten how good that stuff is."  
"^_^" Zarbon sweatdropped.

~~~

"YOU BIG JERK!!!" Chichi screamed as she punched Goku. "We could've been killed back there with all these monsters about!!"  
"Come on, they're not exactly monster -"  
"I don't care what they are!! Saiyans, humans, changelings, or whatever!" Chichi snapped.   
"Hey, I said I'm sorry." Goku put his arms around her. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you, you know tha - Ow!!" he grabbed his aching foot that Chichi has just stood on.  
"JERK!" she snapped.   
"Mom, calm down. None of us got hurt." Goten tried to calm her.  
"Only because you and Gohan were here to fight off anyone that came." Chichi argued.  
"But nobody came." Gohan replied.  
"Well they could've!!"  
"Look, I'm really sorry, Chichi." Goku said guiltily. Chichi sighed.  
"Well, you're here now..."   
"Goku, did Lavender say where she was going?" Trunks asked.   
"Lavender?" Goku looked at him. "No, she just didn't follow us. Maybe she went to find her mom."  
"Maybe..." Trunks mumbled _"Or her dad..."_  
"Well don't just stand there!" Chichi protested. She pointed at the door and glared at Goku. "She's just fifteen years old, GO AND FIND HER!!"  
"Yes ma'am ^_^;"

~~~

Bulma entered the room.  
"Vegeta? Is that y -" she looked at the second figure. "Who...?"  
"Bulma, allow me to introduce my father." Vegeta said to her. Bulma looked at King Vegeta.  
"H - Hi..." she said... and fainted.  
King Vegeta looked at her, and spoke to his son.  
"Eh. You could do worse, I guess."

~~~

Frieza walked out of the bar, holding his fourth (unopened) bottle of wine.   
"Maybe I should give this to Coola..." he thought aloud.  
"Why are you family?" Zarbon asked. Frieza shrugged as they walked.   
"I don't know."  
"Get outta here!" a few people came running past him and Zarbon.  
"That angel is weird!"  
"What kind of an angel burns people?!" a third voice cried.   
"Huh?" Frieza dropped the wine bottle, and grabbed hold of one of the people running past.  
"An angel?"  
"Y - Yeah." the man said. "She's gotta be a black mage! But what a black mage is doing in Heaven I don't know."  
"Where was she?! What did she look like?!" Frieza demanded. "Tell me!"  
"Well, uh... I think she was a human. She's back that way," the man pointed. Frieza turned his head to follow the man's finer, and looked back at him.   
"Fair skin... black hair... deep blue eyes... I guess she was kinda beautiful, really." the man smirked a little. Frieza glared at him.  
"Keep your hands off her." he hissed, and pushed him away. "Go on! Get out of my sight!"  
"Aagh!" the man started to run. How did a wuss like that end up in Hell?   
Zarbon looked at Frieza.   
"Do you know a black mage, sir?" he asked.  
"From a long time ago..." Frieza said, seeming to be in deep thought. "Could it be her....?" he looked at Zarbon.  
"Don't follow me."  
"But sir -"  
"Don't!" Frieza flew off. Zarbon watched him leave, frowning in confusion.


	13. Reunited

Frieza flew as fast as he could in the direction he'd been told - and stopped in mid - air. His jaw dropped, and the sight which amazed him took his breath away.  
"M... Mizu...?" he choked out. 

The woman turned to look over her shoulder, and gasped.   
"Frieza!" she spun around to face him. "Is it really you?"  
"It's me." Frieza nodded, lowering himself to the ground.  
"I can't believe it..." Mizu was now crying. "Frieza!" she ran towards him, and wrapped her arms around him.  
"...." Frieza wrapped his arms around her, and then closed him eyes... and sighed. "God, it's been lonely without you." he whispered. "I love you."  
"Frieza..." the tears were racing uncontrollably out of Mizu's eyes. "I love you, too. You have no idea how painful it's been to live without you."  
"Then why did you leave in the first place?" Frieza asked. He pushed her away from his body so he could look her in the eye, but he didn't let go of her. "I woke up one morning and you were gone. You didn't even leave a note."  
"I know..." Mizu looked away.   
"Well are you going to tell me?!" Frieza protested. "Come on! I spent fifteen years wondering what I could've done to make you so mad, you wanted to leave without even saying goodbye!"  
"No!" Mizu looked at him. Into his eyes. "It's nothing like that." she put her hand on his face. "You've done nothing to anger me - or hurt me."  
"So why did you leave?" Frieza looked at her. "I don't get it."

Mizu looked at the ground, and back at him.  
"Remember when Mokoto came? To kill you because of you killed his family?"   
"Yeah. What about it?" Frieza asked.  
"Remember how... he came round when you were out, and I was at the palace alone? And when you came back you found him trying to kill me?"  
"Yes. I remember." Frieza smirked. "And I remember how scared he got when I started fighting him." he shook his head. "Why didn't you let me finish him off? I know he promised to stay away from us, but it was obvious that as soon as I died he'd come for y -"  
"That doesn't matter." Mizu interrupted him. "Do you know why he was trying to kill me?"  
"..." now that he thought about it, Frieza didn't. "No..." he mumbled. "To get at me?"  
"No." Mizu shook her head. "It was because he was afraid."  
"Afraid?" Frieza repeated.  
"Yes. He realized that you and I were a couple..." Mizu began. "And he could sense that I hadn't committed any sins, whereas he knew you had."  
"So?"  
"So..." Mizu began. "Legend has it that when good bears a child to evil, never the other way around, the child will be The Black Hope. A creature that will send all sinners to Hell - they can't even be wished back." she explained. "The Black Hope will banish all sinners from the planet it was born upon... until there are no sinners left. Then, it dies... leaving behind a world of purity, peace and harmony. A paradise." she closed her eyes. "A few weeks after Mokoto came, I found out I was pregnant. I knew I would give birth to The Black Hope. And I knew the baby would kill you. I had no choice but to leave, and birth her on a different planet."

Frieza stared at her in disbelief.  
"I have a child?!?!"  
"Yes." Mizu nodded. "You have a daughter. Her name is Lavender and she's fifteen years old." she smiled. "She has your mother's eyes, y'know."  
"How could you not tell me?!?!" Frieza demanded. "It's just a stupid legend!!"  
"Just a stupid legend?!" Mizu gestured towards the riot around them. "Look at this place! Do you know why Heaven and Hell have escaped?!"  
"... No..." Frieza shook his head.  
"The Black Hope couldn't complete her task!" Mizu protested. "And as a punishment, this has happened..." she shook her head and looked at the ground. "I knew you'd want to train her had you met her. And I tried so hard to keep her from growing strong on this planet, too. Because if she became strong enough to transform, she'd become strong enough to become that creature... But it happened anyway. And now look! This planet is dying!" 

She looked at Frieza. "We have to do something!!"  
"Why?" Frieza asked. "It's just one planet."  
"Frieza, every single person in Heaven and Hell is here!" Mizu protested. "Think about it! All the planets you've destroyed... all the planets Vegeta has... and all your other workers! There must be hundreds of thousands - if not MILLIONS of planets loose!! If this riot continues this planet will be gone in a couple of hours, and then the riot will spread! Pretty soon the whole universe will be in danger!!"  
"Okay, okay, I see your point. We're all screwed." Frieza smirked.  
"FRIEZA!!"  
"Well what do you want me to do?!" Frieza protested. "Round them all up and tell them to go back to Hell?!"  
"I don't know..." Mizu ran her hands through her hair. "But we have to do something! We can't stay here! All of us - we have to go back!"  
"No way!!" Frieza shook his head. "I'm not going back to Hell!"  
"We all have to go back to where we came from. Somehow..." Mizu said. 

Frieza pulled her to him.  
"And leave you again? Are you insane?! It'd bad enough being there anyway, let alone being there by myself!"  
"I know..." Mizu rested her head against his chest. "Heaven's been horrible without you... but we're two different people. We only belong together in the mortal world. It's the way it's meant to be."  
"....." Frieza closed his eyes. "... Fine... if that's what you want..."  
"I want to stay with you more than anything, honest..." Mizu said.   
"... I know."  
"But none of us belong here. We have to somehow get everybody back. And that includes the two of us."  
"... I know."  
"I'll miss you."  
".. Look at me." Frieza instructed. Mizu raised her head, and his lips pressed against hers. She closed his eyes and embraced him.   
"Let's get out of here." Frieza lifted her up and rubbed his cheek against hers.  
"Frieza... we're running out of time... The Earth..."  
"The Earth can wait." Frieza's lips made their way down to her neck. "I've not seen you for fifteen years, you think the Earth comes first?"  
"... Hm." Mizu laughed. "Alright..."

*surely I don't need to go into detail, you can guess the rest*

~~~

Lavender looked around. This place... she didn't even recognize it! Everyone from Hell was picking fights with everyone in sight. Hell had clearly made them all crazy, filled them with so much rage they were out of control. Buildings on fire, some just blown into pieces... people lying wounded on the ground too weak to get up... the angels were running around frantically trying to stop the sinners, but most of them weren't half as strong as their opponents, and there was more people from Hell anyway.   
"This... is too much..." tears escaped her eyes as she couldn't stand to look anymore. All of this, just because of that creature. That.... monster. An angel? What kind of an angel doesn't forgive... and does THIS when she is stopped? This was Doomsday!  
"Doomsday..." Lavender started to cry. Vegeta... Goku... Goten.... Bulma... and Trunks... none of them would survive. They didn't stand a chance against all of this. Nobody did. This couldn't be undone. She had learned that in her second form. She remembered what Keppaku had known. There was no way to reverse this. Even if she transformed again, Keppaku would never come again. She had died. If she was to be reborn, good would have to birth evil another child - and on another planet.   
"Why..." she fell to her knees, and looked at her hands. Keppaku... oh, if only she'd never transformed. It would've been better if Mokoto had just killed her. That way, he'd go. And all of this...

She clutched her necklace without knowing it. Then, she frowned, and realized what she was holding. The cross.  
"God..." she mumbled. She lifted up her head, and glared at the sky. "I HATE YOU!!" she screamed. "Why?! Why must I be the daughter of evil?! Why must I - and everybody else pay for my father's sins?! What do you want from me?! Do you want to kill me?!" she lowered her head, and said quietly.  
"If you wanted to kill me... then why didn't you just say? I would've gladly killed myself..." she closed her eyes. "If it meant preventing this..." tears escaped her eyes. "Please, God..." she looked up at the sky. "Please... I'll do anything. I'll get my faith back; I'll go to church; I'll give away my possessions; I'll give away my LIFE!" she pleaded. "If you just prove to me that you exist... make all of this stop..." she closed her eyes. "Please... I beg of you..."

"Lavender!"  
"Trunks?!" Lavender turned her head. She saw Trunks and Goku.  
"Geez..." Trunks ran towards her. "You don't have a scratch on you."  
"Luckily." Lavender replied, getting up. She wiped the tears from her eyes. Trunks noticed this.  
"You've been crying?" he asked.  
".... Trunks..." Lavender leaned against him. "This is... the end. And it's all because of me."  
"Who says it's the end?" Trunks argued. "We'll find a way around it."  
"No." Lavender shook her head and looked at him. "This can't be reversed."  
"But..."  
"We don't stand a chance."  
"Hey," Goku came over. "Are you alright?"  
"Yeah..." Lavender replied. "Where's Vegeta?"  
"Still at Capsule Corps as far as I know." Goku said. "Goten, Chichi and Gohan have gone over there, too. It's safer there." he looked at them.  
"You two had better go, too. It's way too dangerous here."  
"Don't you think I know that?!" Trunks protested.  
"Goku, there's nothing you can do." Lavender told him. "This is the end. Keppaku won't return - and we can't defeat all these guys by ourselves."  
"But -"  
"Listen," Lavender said. "You two go back to Capsule Corps." she instructed. "Maybe if I find my parents, we'll be able to do something. But there's nothing either of you can do."  
"..... Then be careful." Goku said.  
"Yeah... be careful..." Trunks nodded. Lavender smiled.  
"I will." she ran off. Goku looked at Trunks.   
"Come on, let's get back."

~~~

"And that's all that's happened." Vegeta finished filling his father in on what had been going on since he was a kid.  
"... Whoa..." King Vegeta rubbed his head. "Christ, I've missed a lot." he looked towards the door. "Woman! Is that drink ready yet?!"  
"For the last time, my name is BULMA!!" Bulma yelled back from the kitchen. "And no, it's not ready - and it never will be until you call me by my name!"  
"Fine, forget it!" King Vegeta answered back. Vegeta frowned. It annoyed him when his father spoke to Bulma like that, but he didn't say. It would just make the matter worse. Dad had never listened to anyone - especially not him.  
King Vegeta looked at his son.  
"Y'know, she's a lot like your mother, that woman of yours." he said. "She just looks different."  
"Mom..." Vegeta mumbled. He'd never met her in his entire life. She'd died in childbirth. Maybe... "Is she here?" he looked at his father.  
"I don't know." King Vegeta shrugged. "She didn't come with me." he leaned forward in his seat, opposite Vegeta. "Your mother's an angel."  
"An angel?" Vegeta repeated.   
"That's right. Flew off to Heaven while I got stuck in Hell." 

"We're back!" Goku's voice called.   
"Kakarotto?" King Vegeta asked. Vegeta nodded.  
"Hi dad!" Goten's voice replied.  
"Mom?"  
"Right here!" Bulma called. "Where's Lavender?"  
"She's not here..." King Vegeta recognized the boy's voice. Trunks. Trunks! What a name! He and Kakarotto had come to drop off Kakarotto's family. That's when King Vegeta had met his grandson. The kid had the stupidest name he'd heard of, but at least he was strong.

~~~

Lavender flew through the crowds of people. Where were they? Wait... she cold feel her mother's ki! Lavender smiled, and followed it. She saw something standing in the distance. It was her! And... him...  
She glared without realising it as she came closer to him. That tyrant. How could she love him? If it wasn't for him being so evil none of this would've happened!   
"Mom!" she called.

"That voice..." Mizu said.  
"What voice?" Frieza asked.   
"Didn't you hear it?" Mizu looked at him. Frieza shook his head.  
"No."   
"Then maybe I imagined it..." Mizu mumbled. Frieza chuckled, and pulled her into a tighter hug.  
"Perhaps you're going crazy." he smirked. "You always were crazy to love me in the first place."  
"That's true..." Mizu also smirked.  
"Mom!"  
"I definitely heard that!" Mizu protested, breaking away from him.  
"Me too...." Frieza loosened his grip. Mizu looked around, and smiled.   
"Lavender!"  
"Huh?!" Frieza followed her eyes. He gasped. "Is that her?"  
"Yes." Mizu nodded. Frieza stared at him daughter as she came towards him. Her short lavender hair blowed as she flew. Her emerald eyes sparkled. She was beautiful. But he loved her eyes. He could see his mother in her. Those eyes were hers. He smiled. Maybe she'd live on this way...

"Lavender!" Mizu smiled as her daughter landed in front of them.  
"Mom..." Lavender hugged her, crying. "This is horrible... the Earth..."  
"We'll fix it." Mizu assured her. "But... let me introduce you to someone."  
"I know..." Lavender broke away, and glared at Frieza. "Father."  
"Lavender?" Mizu looked at her. "What's the matter with you?"  
"Me?! What's the matter with YOU?!" Lavender argued.  
"Lav -"  
"How can you love him?!" Lavender demanded. Frieza's heart sank. _"Well, what did you expect? You're probably the reason her friends are dead. Supposing she's friends with Vegeta? You couldn't expect her to not hate you. She's not her mother, you know."_  
"Lavender!" Mizu frowned. "Haven't I always told you to forgive?! No matter what, we are all still God's ch -"  
"I don't believe in God!" Lavender protested. Mizu stared at her.  
"W - What...?" she looked at her. "Then why didn't you say? I wouldn't have forced you."  
"... Well to be honest, I only started to loose faith when you died..." Lavender said. "Then Mia... when she died, too... I just didn't care anymore..."

Frieza cleared his throat. He looked at Mizu.  
"Now you're debating whether God is real or not? I thought you wanted to get rid of all these people." he said.  
"That's right!" Mizu nodded. She looked at Lavender. "Lavender, what did The Black Hope say? Do you have her memories?"  
"Yes." Lavender nodded. "This can't be reversed. All I know is that she's supposed to kill all the sinners so that they can't even be wished back... and if she doesn't... this happens..."  
"Is that all?" Mizu asked.   
"That's all." Lavender told her. "But... what does she mean by "wishing" anyway? Something about a dragon..." she looked at Mizu. "What dragon?"  
"You haven't heard of the dragonballs?" Frieza seemed surprised. Lavender frowned in confusion.  
"The what?"  
"There are seven balls on this planet," Frieza said. "Gather all of them, and you can summon the dragon and make a wish."  
"A wish...?" Lavender started to think. Mizu looked at her.  
"Lavender?"  
"I've got it!" Lavender beamed. "I know how we can undo this!"  
"You can wish them all back?" Mizu asked.  
"No, that can't be done either." Lavender told her. "But I know something that can be done." she looked at Frieza. "Where are the dragonballs?"

Frieza shrugged.  
"My guess would be that Goku and Vegeta have them." he said.  
"Good." Lavender smiled. "Come on!" she flew off. Mizu and Frieza looked at each other, and followed her.


	14. A Single Wish

Bulma stared out of the window of Capsule Corps.  
"D'you think Lavender'll be alright by herself?" she asked.  
"Who cares?" Vegeta replied.   
"What?!" Chichi frowned at him. "What do you mean by that? What's she ever done to you?" "Yeah, Vegeta. What's wrong with her?" Goku asked.  
"Oh, come on, Kakarotto!" Vegeta protested. "haven't you figured out by now that she is FRIEZA'S daughter?!" he looked at Trunks. "Why didn't you tell me he had a child?!"  
"I didn't know she was his daughter!" Trunks protested. "Anyway, what difference does it make? She's never even met him."  
"And how do you know that?" Vegeta demanded.  
"I just do! I believe her!" Trunks argued.   
"Vegeta, why is your son attracted to a lizard?" King Vegeta glared at the prince.  
"Wha?!?!" Trunks looked at him - bright red with anger and embarrassment.  
"Is it true?" Goten smirked at Trunks.  
"Of course not!!" Trunks exclaimed. "Honest!!"  
"So you won't mind if I kill her when she gets here?" Vegeta asked.  
"Don't!" Trunks ordered.  
"Why not? I thought you said you weren't attracted to her." King Vegeta shrugged.   
"Er.... that's true..." Trunks said. "But, er... what if she's the only one that can help us out here?"

King Vegeta looked at him.  
"Help you out?" he asked.  
"Well we have to get rid of all these people." Gohan told him. "The place is an absolute chaos."  
"Get rid of?!" King Vegeta gasped. "You mean send back?!"  
"That's right, dad." Vegeta stood up, and pointed to him. "You're going back to Hell." he smirked like a little kid.  
"You can't send me back there!!" King Vegeta protested, jumping up off his seat. "I spent over thirty years in that place and after thirty minutes I couldn't stand it!!"  
"Well, maybe if you hadn't given away your only son, you wouldn't have gone there in the first place." Vegeta answered back snidely.  
"Wha - -" King Vegeta glared at him. "Are you asking for a fight, brat?!"  
"Do you WANT a fight, "Dad" ?" Vegeta glared back.  
"Whoa, whoa!" Goku stepped in between them. "Guys, just calm down, okay? A fight is the last thing we want!"  
"Well tell him to get off my back!" Vegeta growled. "He's always had it in for me, even when I was a kid he wouldn't listen to anyone but himself. He always considered himself more important than me - or anyone else!"  
"That's because I _am _ more important for you." King Vegeta smirked nastily.  
"YOU -"

"Hey!!" Goku had a hard time holding Vegeta back as he tried to smack his father. King Vegeta stood there, and waved at his son.   
"Missed me!" he teased, and pouted. "You always were good at screwing up."  
"YOU BASTARD!!!" Vegeta shouted. "KAKAROTTO, GET OFF ME!!!"  
"No way!!" Goku refused. "Now I want both of you to calm down!"  
"I'm perfectly calm." King Vegeta said. He smirked snidely at Vegeta. "It's just the little boy that's throwing a tantrum."  
"ARRRRRR!!!" Vegeta's face went red. "I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!!!" he punched at his father as fast as he could.  
"Little help?!" Goku cried. Sweat dropping, Goten and Trunks helped hold Vegeta back. King Vegeta laughed mockingly.  
"Missed again."   
"ARRR!!!"  
"STOP IT!" Bulma shouted. She glared at King Vegeta. "YOU have been a pain in the ass ever since you got here! NOW GROW UP; SHUT UP; SIT DOWN AND STOP WINDING HIM UP!!!"   
"Yes ma'am ^_^" King Vegeta, taken aback by her attitude towards him, sat down.   
"Good!" Bulma folded her arms. She looked at Vegeta. "Now are you going to calm down?!"  
"Not until -"  
"ARE YOU?!?!"  
"... Fine then!" Vegeta snapped. "You three, get off!"  
Goku, Trunks and Goten reluctantly let go of him, and he sat down angrily. He growled when he saw his father opposite him, and looked away.

There was a knock on the door.   
"I'll get it!" about five people said.  
"I'LL get it!" Bulma growled. She left the room.  
"M - Mizu?!" they could hear Bulma's amazed voice.  
"Bulma!"   
"Oh my God I have seen you for - how long has it been?"  
"Fifteen years? Sixteen?"  
"Oh, come here!!"   
"Who's Mizu?" King Vegeta asked.  
"Lavender's mother." Trunks said.  
"Lavender...?" King Vegeta looked at him.  
"Frieza's daughter."

"Hi Lavender."  
"Hey Bulma ^_^"  
"So, Mizu, who's your cute friend?" Bulma's voice asked.  
"This is Frieza."  
Vegeta's eyes widened.  
"Her WHAT friend?!?!"  
King Vegeta burst out laughed.  
"Christ! A wife that fancies the changeling and a son that fancies the changeling's daughter! Geez, you sure know how to pick 'em!" he declared.  
"Do you want another smack?!" Vegeta shouted.  
"I don't recall getting one." King Vegeta smirked.  
"Why you -"  
"Okay, let's just calm down now ^_^;" Goku quickly put his hands on Vegeta's shoulders, holding him down.  
"Well he's just saying things to annoy me!" Vegeta protested.

"FRIEZA?!?!" Bulma screamed. "Your "one true love", the guy you left to be with is FRIEZA?!"  
"One true love?" Frieza's voice seemed interested. Anyone could picture him smirking at Mizu.   
"Bulma, please understand..."  
"*sigh* Well, you're still my oldest friend... come in. Meet the family ^_^"  
"Great." Vegeta mumbled.

Bulma stepped into the room. She was followed by Mizu, Lavender and... Frieza.  
"Trunks!" Lavender smiled. She ran over to him.  
"Hey, you're okay?" Trunks greeted her.  
"I'm fine ^_^"  
"King Vegeta..." Frieza smirked. "Mister "I'm better than everyone else". What do you think of your new, commoner, non - saiyan family?"   
"Get to Hell." King Vegeta growled.  
"Been there, done that." Frieza replied.   
"Can we PLEASE keep this friendly? One more argument in here and we'll have created World War III." Bulma said.   
"Lavender knows how we can fix all this." Mizu said. Everyone looked at Lavender.  
"You do?" Goku asked.   
"Well can I stay here while everyone else goes back?" King Vegeta reasoned.  
"If I go back to Hell you're coming with me!" Frieza warned.  
"Great." King Vegeta mumbled. "I'll bring Bardock and you can invite Zarbon, we'll have a party." he rolled his eyes.  
"What's your idea, Lavender?" Trunks asked.  
"Where are the dragonballs?"

~~~

Lavender looked at them. She didn't know what they'd look like, but she didn't expect this. She thought they'd be small things that could fit in the palm of her hand. And those stars on them... they were pretty.  
"So... what's your plan?" Goten asked her. They all stood in the same room, surrounding Lavender and the dragonballs.  
".... This all happened because of the Black Hope..." Lavender began, still staring at the balls. She couldn't take her eyes off them, because if she looked at any one of them as she spoke, she'd end up crying.  
"... So..." she continued. "If I wished that the Black Hope never existed... I wouldn't have become it... and none of this would've happened."  
"But then..." Trunks stepped forward, and looked at her. She had her back to him, and she couldn't see his eyes glistening.   
"If you couldn't become The Black Hope... there would've been no point in coming here in the first place..."  
"... That's right." Lavender said. She closed her eyes.  
"But then... we would've never met each other. Our memories will be erased..." Trunks said.  
"... That's right." 

"No...." Trunks shook his head. "There has to be another way!"  
"There isn't. We both know that." Lavender replied.  
"But you can't leave..." Trunks said. "I love you."  
"... I know." Lavender tried hard not to cry, but a single tear escaped anyway. The crowd was silent. The only thing that moved was the tears that started to run from Bulma's eyes as well.  
"But..." Lavender began. "Sometimes... even when you love someone... if they're in danger... you have to do whatever you can to protect them. Even if it means never seeing them again..." she turned her head to look at Mizu, and smiled. "Right, Mom?"  
"... That's right." Mizu nodded, smiling back. Frieza remained silent. He knew who they meant. And he tried desperately to blink back the tears. It worked. He was good at hiding emotions.  
"Lavender..." Trunks spoke softly.  
"Please..." Lavender turned to face him sideways on. She looked at him. "Don't. We have to." "..." Trunks walked towards her. Lavender turned around completely and faced him when he stopped in front of her. He put his hand on her face.  
"Just promise me you'll come to Earth someday, so I can meet you again."  
"..." Lavender smiled, and put her hand on his. "I promise. I won't forget."  
Trunks smiled back, and slid his hand off her. He stepped back, his eyes still glistening.   
"Then do it."  
"Okay..." Lavender gave him one last smile, and looked at the dragonballs.   
"By your name, I summon you! Shenron!"

~~~~~

_ Do you still remember how we used to be?  
Feeling together, believing whatever my love has said to me  
Both of us were dreamers, Young love in the sun,  
Felt like my Savior, my spirit I gave you, We'd only just begun_

Hasta Mañana, Always be mine 

Viva forever, I'll be waiting,  
Everlasting like the sun,  
Live forever, for the moment,  
Ever searching for the one.

Yes I still remember every whispered word,  
The touch of your skin giving life from within like a love song never heard  
Slipping through our fingers, like the sands of time,  
Promises made, every memory saved as reflections in my mind

Hasta Mañana, Always be mine

Viva forever, I'll be waiting,  
Everlasting like the sun,  
Live forever, for the moment,  
Ever searching for the one


	15. Epilogue

"Mom, where did you come from?" Lavender asked as she climbed into bed. She was fifteen years old, and she'd never asked her mother about her race.   
"Earth." Mizu told her. She walked over to the window in Lavender's bedroom and looked at the night sky. "I was born and raised there."  
"So why did you come here?" Lavender asked.  
"Because... I fell in love with your father." Mizu answered, closing her eyes.   
"That's it?" Lavender looked at her.  
"When you're in love, that's the only reason you need." Mizu replied. She smiled at her daughter. "You'll understand someday. When you fall in love."  
"I don't think I ever will. Not like you and dad." Lavender said.  
"You will." Mizu smiled. "I promise. Good night."  
"Night."  
Mizu left the room. 

~~~

"Why don't you ask her out?" Goten suggested. It was daytime on Earth, and they were at Capsule Corps. "She likes you."  
"Yeah, but I don't really like her too much." Trunks shrugged.   
"You might as well." Goten said. Trunks looked at him.  
"How'd you figure?"  
"Well, she's a pretty good - looking girl, and she's smart, too." Goten told him. "So you should get her while you can. She might be the best girl you'll meet."  
"Yeah, I guess so..." Trunks mumbled. "You're right. I mean, it's not like I'm gonna fall in love or anything. That stuff's just in fairy tales."  
"Oh, really?" Bulma stopped at the doorway as she passed by and overheard him. "And why do you think you came from?"  
"That's different." Trunks said.  
"In what way?" Bulma asked.  
"It.. just is." Trunks couldn't answer her.  
"You'll fall in love someday. Even if you can't find anyone now, someday you will." Bulma promised.  
"And I guess that someone will come down from another planet." Trunks smirked.  
"I'm just trying to teach you something." Bulma frowned.  
"Okay, Mom, I believe you." Trunks said honestly. "Maybe I will meet somebody someday. Who knows." 

~~~

Lavender stared out of the window. The universe was such a big place... there must be millions, maybe billions of planets out there. All kinds of different races and people. "Maybe I will meet someone someday." she said, and smiled. "Who knows." 

~~~~~ 

_ Back where I belong now, was it just a dream?  
Feelings unfold, they will never be sold, and the secret's safe with me_

Hasta Mañana, Always be mine

Viva forever (Viva forever),  
I'll be waiting (I'll be waiting),  
Everlasting (Everlasting) like the sun (Like the sun),  
Live forever (Live forever), for the moment (for the moment),  
Ever searching (Ever searching) for the one (for the one),  
Viva forever (Viva forever),  
I'll be waiting,  
Everlasting like the sun,  
Live forever (Live forever), for the moment,  
Ever searching for the one,

Viva forever (Viva forever),  
I'll be waiting ,  
Everlasting like the sun,  
Live forever (Live forever), for the moment,  
Ever searching for the one (for the one)

Viva forever, I'll be waiting (I'll be waiting),  
Everlasting like the sun,  
Live forever (Live forever), for the moment,  
Ever searching for the one.

- Viva Forever  
By the Spice Girls 


End file.
